On Wednesday, the parliamentary opposition opposed the possibility of Ukrainian soldiers coming to Croatia for training, insisting that there must be a consensus at the EU and NATO level, and that all member states should receive them, and not that Croatia be “pushed into the first rows”.
Chairman of the Defense Committee Franko Vidović (Social Democrats) says that it is not clear to him how the Minister of Foreign Affairs goes abroad, arranges such an arrangement and then presents it as a fait accompli, without consulting the President of the Republic, who co-creates the foreign policy.
Vidović (Social Democrats): For tourism, we need the sea and beauty, but also security
“In the first reaction, I was convinced that all EU and NATO member states were participating in this, however, later the situation crystallized that four or five countries are participating in this, which are crucially interested in this conflict. Croatia supports Ukraine, but it is in fourth place in relation to those countries bordering Ukraine, he said.
If, he says, the entire EU and NATO would participate in the project of training Ukrainian soldiers, and we know that they will not, then we would think about it and then our answer would be yes.
However, in this arrangement of forces, I am not in favor of Croatia not taking care of itself. As a tourist country, we do not only sell the sea and beauty, but also safety, so if we are already in the fourth row, let’s not push ourselves into the first row. If we bring the Ukrainian army here, we are practically bringing the conflict to our territory, and the question is whether we need it, warned Vidović.
Chairman of the Committee for Internal Policy and National Security Siniša Hajdaš Dončić (SDP) stated that Russia is the aggressor and that Ukraine should be helped, but through consensus and a common, unified policy of all EU and NATO members.
Hajdaš Dončić: We learned about the training of Ukrainian soldiers in Croatia from foreign media
There is no need for individual EU states to leave, because if there is a war, it is a war for everyone, not just for Croatia, Lithuania or Estonia, he said. “If we are in a joint alliance, then everyone should participate equally, and not jump out of that story. If all countries have accepted that Ukrainian soldiers are trained on their territory, then Croatia can too. However, I must say that it is a tragedy that we learn about it from foreign media. Why rush like geese in the fog, we should have a common policy”, Hajdaš Dončić believes.
Nikola Grmoja (Most) pointed out that Ukraine should be helped, and if necessary, receive Ukrainian soldiers for training, but if this is a decision at the level of all EU and NATO members.
“I don’t see any reason why Croatia should lead in this, but it is clear to me that the neighboring countries, which are particularly threatened, are moving in that direction. Without joint decisions by the EU and NATO, it makes no sense for Croatia to be the first,” he said.
Željko Sačić (Croatian sovereignists) noted that we send everything we can send to Ukraine within our capabilities and give them moral support, however, in order to enable their army, which is not a member of NATO, on the territory of Croatia, constitutional conditions must be met.
“In addition, the Croatian people should be prepared for the risk that the legal military target of Russian drones is where the training would take place. “The Russians are at war with Ukraine and they have the right to fight against the Ukrainian army everywhere, including in Croatia, and that is not a war crime,” he said.
Mlinarić (DP): Plenković will not have two thirds of the Parliament for that
The one who put Croatia directly into a war with Russia must answer politically, legally, and constitutionally because he is a high traitor. The Croatian people decide which army will come to their territory in accordance with the Constitution, here in the Parliament. In addition, Croatia is not able to train its army at the moment and God will pity the Ukrainians if they come to Croatia, Sačić said.
Stipo Mlinarić (Domovinski pokret) is of the opinion that Ukrainian soldiers should not come to Croatia and that Plenković will not have two thirds of the Parliament for that. Croatia is a tourist country and what do we need for Ukrainian soldiers to come to us because it follows that we are a party to the war. Eventually, we can send our officers to Ukraine so they can train their army there. We do not dispute that the Ukrainian people should be helped, but bringing the Ukrainian army to its territory, Russia will not look favorably on that. As small as we are, we don’t really have to push ourselves into the front rows, Mlinarić concluded.
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