“In these circumstances, there will be no cooperation with Israel regarding the Croatian Army. I am one of those who, throughout my political career, have shown considerable understanding and tolerance for Israeli actions, but in the last two to three years, I no longer do. It is a brutal policy, and this is a military responsible for the worst war crimes in form, content, and against much weaker parties. What the Israeli army, politics, and establishment have done in Gaza is horrifying—a flagrant violation of humanitarian law and human decency. The Croatian Army will not cooperate with such a military,” said President Zoran Milanović, commenting on the visit of the Croatian Defense Minister to Israel.
President Milanović clarified that the Defense Minister and his superior, the Prime Minister, have the right to travel wherever they wish, but regarding the purchase of weapons and military equipment for the Croatian Armed Forces, he emphasized that “everything we need and are purchasing exists elsewhere.”
He further stated that “Israel is not a reliable partner” and recalled that attempts were made to push U.S. aircraft onto Croatia, even though the Americans had not approved them, as the equipment was not even on the market and lacked a license. “This is not friendly or cooperative behavior; it is an attempt at deception. Apparently, nothing has been learned from this. Some of our politicians, particularly the right-wing, have a fetish for such an Israel. I do not,” Milanović stressed.
He therefore called for Croatia, when purchasing weapons and equipment, to “turn to those who can provide the same equipment, along with possible systems and the involvement of our industry, namely NATO members—Germany, France, and above all, the U.S.”
Additionally, President Milanović warned that Israel also cooperates militarily with Serbia. “We need to be very careful in purchasing, pay attention to whom we buy from, watch future developments, and consider what lies ahead. Serbia purchases weapons on a large scale, and who integrates all these systems? Israel. Israeli military industry, Israeli security services! Do we want Israel to control the most intimate national security information of both Serbia and Croatia? This is happening right now,” the President said.
“What can we buy from the Israelis now that we cannot buy from the Germans or French? I have warned that the Croatian Army will not participate in this, and whoever purchases such a system does so at their own responsibility. Without the Army’s involvement and without a tactical-technical study, nothing should be purchased. The tactical-technical study will not include Israeli weapons, just as it does not include Russian or Chinese equipment, because that is our policy,” President Milanović concluded.
Journalists also asked President Milanović to comment on media speculation that he might run in the next parliamentary elections with an independent list. “Ask the speculators. I spoke about this a few months ago, very clearly and on my own initiative. Look at what I said,” he replied.
The President also commented on his official visit to Georgia. “Georgia is a Caucasian country; they take pride in being the cradle of Europe. The current government is not without flaws, but it is a beacon of democracy—not just in comparison with Israel, but compared to many countries we visit,” Milanović said, noting that Croatian officials also visit countries where women have no rights or where there are no free elections. He also recalled that a delegation from the Georgian Parliament officially visited the Croatian Parliament at the end of last year, which no one criticized.
“Some of Croatia’s largest and most serious companies, with concrete interests, accompanied me to Georgia. That is my duty,” Milanović added, stressing that he will not participate in the policies of certain EU countries that tried to push Georgia into conflict with Russia.
“Georgia was asked, in a manipulative way, to complicate its relations with Russia. Several EU countries, in a malicious manner, attempted to convince this small, unfortunate country—which is de facto occupied by Russia in part—to enter a conflict. And then to leave it like a rag at a train station. That is what they demanded from Georgia,” the President said, adding that he encouraged the Georgian people to think for themselves “because Brussels’ perspective does not serve them and will betray them at the first turn.”
Regarding journalists’ remarks that the OSCE had assessed Georgia’s elections as undemocratic, President Milanović said: “It was clear that the elections had to be won by someone smaller than a poppy seed, who would do what Brussels tells them. If Georgia had unfair elections, I leave them to resolve it themselves. Georgia is a country with its problems; no one will rush to protect it, there will be no aircraft carriers, they will turn their heads. This is immoral and wrong in the entire story.”
