ZAGREB, 24 Feb 2022 - The Croatian government has adopted a draft decision on deploying up to 10 Croatian soldiers in the NATO Response Force (NRF), the defense ministry stated on Thursday when Russia started invading Ukraine.

The draft decision has been forwarded to President Zoran Milanović, the supreme commander of the armed forces, for adoption, the press release reads.

According to Defence Minister Mario Banožić, Croatian troops will be part of the "Very High Readiness Joint Task Force" (VJTF) within the alliance's Response Force.

That means that they will be ready within a few days.

During the Prague summit in 2002, NATO decided on the establishment of its Response Force, and the Wales summit in 2014 decided on the set-up of VJTF.

In 2015, Croatia's parliament adopted decisions that paved the way for the deployment of Croatian soldiers in those units.

Earlier today, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the alliance had activated its defense plans on the deployment of additional forces in NATO's eastern members.

"Today, the North Atlantic Council decided to activate our defense plans, at the request of our top military commander, General Tod Wolters," Stoltenberg said and added that he has "called a virtual Summit of NATO leaders tomorrow, to address the way forward."

 For more, check out our politics section.

ZAGREB, 4 January, 2021 - Defence Minister Mario Banozic said on Monday that more than 1,000 soldiers had participated so far in efforts to alleviate the consequences of the December 29 earthquake in Sisak-Moslavina County.

Speaking to reporters ahead of a government session, Banozic said that the Croatian Army had secured accommodation for 380 civilians in the Petrinja barracks and that it was caring on a daily basis for 400 people who came occasionally to the barracks to sleep there.

Banozic noted that the army had helped keep local roads clear, removing rubble and making it possible for other services to enter towns and settlements in Sisak-Moslavina County.

It has also helped search the ground for people trapped in their collapsed houses and in their evacuation, as well as in the distribution of food and residential containers, he said.

The minister said the army would prepare aerial photos of the area to help other institutions make an application showing the exact extent of the damage caused by the earthquakes so as to prepare for reconstruction.

Asked to comment on the hierarchy of responsibility, Banozic said the army would make itself available to the coordinating team, to be set up by the government.

Asked why the government had waited for seven days to form the team, Banozic said that one had not waited and that work had been underway from the first day.

Asked if the establishment of the coordinating team meant that things on the ground did not go as they should have, he said that what was required to stabilise the system had functioned and that now preparations would be launched to enable the start of reconstruction as soon as possible.

ZAGREB, Dec 30, 2020 - Defence Minister Mario Banozic said on Wednesday that there were currently 150 troops in the quake-stricken areas in Petrinja, Sisak, and Glina and another 350 were on standby adding that the local barracks would be fully occupied by local residents whose homes were damaged in Tuesday's quake.

"At the moment there are about 150 soldiers in the field in Petrinja, Glina, Sisak, and in all municipalities that expressed their need for help at a meeting of the civil protection authority today. We also have another 350 soldiers on standby," Banozic said during a cabinet meeting.

There are also five helicopters, three are in Petrinja and two in Zagreb to ensure emergency medical transport. The thing that is needed the most today is heavy machinery to remove and demolish hazardous buildings.

He commended the army and civil protection units as well as the homeland security system for their prompt organization to tend to the people. He added that teams were dispersed so that as few of them were housed in the barracks while the others were on standby.

There is room for about 500 people at the Petrinja barracks and Banozic said that last night 315 people were accommodated there, particularly the elderly from aged care facilities. This morning an additional 15 to 20 elderly people arrived in the barracks.

"I have the feeling that the barracks will be filled by this evening because a lot of people did not know how to get to the barracks yesterday and some stayed in their homes not wanting to leave. It started to rain too so I believe that tonight the barracks will be full," he underlined.

Banozic said that the military headquarters building in Zagreb suffered some minor damage in Tuesday's earthquake and that they were waiting for structural engineers to inspect the damage.

 President Zoran Milanovic, who is the supreme commander, on Wednesday toured the quake-hit areas and visited soldiers on the ground.