The President of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, commented today on the alleged negotiations of Defense Minister Ivan Anušić with Israel regarding the purchase of the “David’s Sling” air defense system, emphasizing that the Croatian military will not cooperate with the Israeli military in any way.
Milanović assessed that Anušić is negotiating with Israel while that country is simultaneously arming Serbia, which the Croatian state leadership views as a “security problem,” according to a statement from the Croatian President’s press service.
“If the Minister of Defense or anyone else wants to enter into that type of arrangement with Israel, into the procurement of the so-called David’s Sling, it means that cooperation between the Croatian Army and the Israeli army is also necessary. So help me God, that will not happen,” Milanović told reporters in Zagreb.
He stated that the Croatian army, under his command, will not participate in this, the statement noted.
Certain Croatian media have written in recent days that the so-called David’s Sling is one of the systems capable of stopping the Chinese supersonic missiles that Serbia acquired, and that Anušić is negotiating the procurement of that system.
“This is a warning – do not do that. Not a single Croatian soldier will participate in that. If civilians are going to do it, it will be the first time in history,” Milanović emphasized.
“Even if it were the only one in the world, and it isn’t, it is replaceable,” Milanović said of the Israeli “David’s Sling.”
Milanović warned that the Minister of Defense is negotiating with the Israelis at the same time “while Israel is arming our primary neighbor whom we see as a security problem, Serbia.” Speaking about Israel’s arming of Serbia, he said that it began a year ago when a multiple-launch rocket system with a range of 300 kilometers was purchased from Israel.
“That is an even more offensive weapon than what the Chinese allegedly sold them. Perhaps the Minister should ask his friends in Tel Aviv, why did you sell that to Serbia? So, Israel is actively arming a state that both Plenković and the Minister call an enemy. Do they see some inconsistency there and a reason to pose the question to Israel – why are you doing this?” the Croatian President asked.
Milanović, who has repeatedly criticized the government for its cooperation with Israel, said that “this ally from whom the Minister is buying David’s Sling not only arms Serbia with extremely offensive weapons, against which protection is harder than against Chinese hypersonic missiles, but they also provide integration assistance, as system integrators, to integrate everything Serbia has bought into a ‘kill chain’.”
“That is what the Israelis with whom the Minister is negotiating the purchase of David’s Sling are doing,” Milanović warned. He again asked Plenković why, in his letter to the NATO Secretary General in which he wrote that Serbia had acquired Chinese hypersonic missiles, he “did not also complain about Israel.”
“Cooperation with Israel requires trust, and I do not trust someone who arms my challenger. It is hard for me to understand why someone does not see this, or pretends not to see it, and why they are dragging us into it,” Milanović said.
Last year, as Commander-in-Chief, the President of Croatia ordered the termination of military cooperation with Israel. He repeated this stance recently during Anušić’s visit to Israel, calling on Prime Minister Andrej Plenković to halt all planned deals or agreements.
“Due to the unacceptable actions of the Israeli military and the unprecedented trampling of all norms of international humanitarian law, back in May of last year, I ordered the termination of all cooperation between the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia (OSRH) and the Israeli military, pertaining to all members of the Croatian Army. At the same time, I called on the Government of Croatia to cease every form of trade in weapons and military equipment with Israel,” Milanović announced at the time.
The Croatian President also assessed that Israel is not a reliable partner and pointed out that Croatia should buy from NATO members, primarily the USA, with the participation of Croatian industry.
Plenković responded that Anušić was in Israel as a politician and that cooperation in the field of the military industry is not within the jurisdiction of the President of the State, while Anušić stated that he discussed the Israeli active protection system Trophy, an integral part of the German Leopard 2 A8 main battle tank, with Israeli Minister Israel Katz.
Milanović and Plenković come from different political options and have significantly strained mutual relations, making it impossible for them to agree on almost any issue.
It is similar now regarding the American-Israeli attack on Iran.
While Milanović points out that Iran was attacked without a UN mandate and that “any unilateral application of military force that violates international law and order is dangerous because it threatens peace and global security, not only today but also in the future,” the government speaks exclusively about Iran’s responsibility.
Additionally, Milanović, unlike the Government, has repeatedly advocated for the recognition of Palestine and sharply criticized Israeli policy, which he called criminal.
According to the Croatian Constitution, the President and the Prime Minister are co-creators of foreign and security policy, with the President being the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.
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Source: Nova.rs; Photo: ATA Images