The country refuses to join the EU mission to train Ukrainian soldiers

Parliament in Zagreb on Friday rejected a proposal that would have seen Croatia join an EU mission supporting the Ukrainian army.

According to Reuters, a two-thirds majority is needed for Croatia to train 100 Ukrainian soldiers over the next two years.

However, President Zoran Milanovic, the Supreme Commander of the Croatian Armed Forces, disagreed with the proposal. This decision has been taken after long heated arguments between the Prime Minister and the President.

Of the 107 delegates who voted, 97 voted in favor and 10 against. The Croatian Parliament has 151 members.

Opposition MPs said they did not want to be held hostage to political misunderstandings, adding that the constitution leaves no room for parliament to vote on matters normally approved by the president in agreement with the government.

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The Croatian president refused to consider the government’s plan to join EUMAM Ukraine

In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that began in February, the EU agreed in October to establish a military assistance mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) and appointed a Polish general. Poland.

He said that Croatia should not be involved in the war and that the plan would violate the constitution because Ukraine is not a member of the European Union or NATO and does not clarify the basis for declaring Ukraine an ally.

As a result, the government sent the proposal to parliament, hoping to secure the two-thirds majority needed to accept military decisions.

“Participation in this military operation is a coherent, principled and rational decision for the national interest of Croatia”, Prime Minister Andrej Blenkovic said before the vote, rejecting criticism that legal procedures had been violated.

Even before the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Milanović characterized himself with statements that cast Croatia as a somewhat lone voice in the EU.

He said he did not agree with Ukraine joining the European Union and NATO, and disagreed in principle with the pro-Russian positions and NATO expansion accused by Prime Minister Andrej Blenkovic. He termed them defamatory and shameful and assured that they do not reflect the opinion of his government.