Croatia’s Minister of Defence, Ivan Anušić, said on Friday that the rhetoric coming from Serbia toward its neighbours is even harsher than it was 36 years ago, while stressing that Serbia has been intensively arming itself with offensive systems and long-range missiles.
Speaking at a conference focused on investments in the defence system, held in Zadar, Croatia, under the theme “EU 4 Defence Readiness – Road Map to Future,” Anušić said that Croatia has a response to Serbia’s military build-up and that, in cooperation with its allies, including the Republic of Kosovo and Albania, it aims to establish a balance in the region in order to preserve peace.
The conference was also attended by Kosovo’s Minister of Defence, Ejup Maqedonci, whom Anušić specifically welcomed.
“The second and third things I want to mention are the security situation in Croatia, around Croatia, and in our region. It is neither simple nor easy; it is serious and complicated. We have history, which has taught us excellent lessons, and we have rhetoric that is once again being heard from neighbouring Serbia. It is incredible, aggressive, offensive and, ultimately, very hostile rhetoric,” Anušić said in his address.
He said that, in his assessment, Serbia has been intensively arming itself for the past ten years with systems that he does not consider purely defensive.
“We are aware that Serbia has been intensively acquiring serious weaponry for the tenth consecutive year. I would not call it defensive, but rather offensive systems. Serbia has not abandoned the rhetoric of the 1990s, the rhetoric that was followed by the bloody wars in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo. I would say that the rhetoric is even harsher. For us, it has long been sufficient reason to seek a response, because Serbia has purchased supersonic missiles with a range of up to 400 kilometres from Chinese manufacturers, and the President of Serbia has said that they can strike any capital in the region, and has even given them the name ‘Zagrebačanka’. We have a response,” the Croatian Defence Minister said.
Anušić stressed that Croatia possesses missile systems with an even longer range.
“We have a long-range missile system, with an even longer range than theirs. We do not want the overall discussion to turn into a question of who has missiles with the longest range, but Croatia has a response to what they have, and very soon we will have these systems in our possession and will establish a balance of forces among the armed forces in this part of Europe, in Southeastern Europe, which is very important,” the Croatian minister said.
According to him, Croatia is “a voice of reason” in the region and has been so during conflicts and various political situations.
“Someone has to provide a counterbalance to a neighbour that is arming itself and threatening revenge for what happened in the 1990s, that threatens the territory of the Republic of Kosovo by saying that it is part of Serbia, and that still claims that parts of Croatia belong to the Karlovac–Karlobag–Virovitica line, their borders. Croatia must be aware that we are not living in an ideal world and that we do not have ideal neighbours. Therefore, we must take care, above all, to protect our children, so that one day they do not have to put on uniforms and fight again. What we are doing is precisely this: preventing what we were unable to prevent in 1990, but what we can prevent now,” he said.
Anušić added that, in his view, Croatia can no longer be considered “an easy target.”
“For this reason, we need cooperation with our allies, both with the Republic of Kosovo and with Albania, with our neighbours that are in NATO and those that are not, but that pursue a peaceful, well-intentioned policy of stability, peace and cooperation,” he said.
At the end, the Croatian Defence Minister once again welcomed Kosovo’s Defence Minister, Ejup Maqedonci, emphasizing the cooperation between the two countries.
“For this reason, I once again welcome my colleague, the minister who is here with us today, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Kosovo, with whom we cooperate excellently and continue to build our cooperation and friendship,” Anušić concluded.
