At the meeting at the Ministry of Defence, good bilateral defence cooperation between Kosovo and Croatia was confirmed | Photo: MOD/ J. Kopi
At the meeting at the Ministry of Defence, good bilateral defence cooperation between Kosovo and Croatia was confirmed
It was pointed out that Kosovo is seen by Croatia as a friendly nation and an important regional partner, which it will keep assisting by exchanging experience and knowledge
On Wednesday, 10 January 2024, a meeting took place in the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Croatia between Ivan Anušić, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Martin Berishaj, the Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo.
The meeting reaffirmed the constructive bilateral defence cooperation that exists between Croatia and Kosovo. The main goals of this cooperation are to strengthen the capabilities and modernise the Kosovo Security Forces, as well as to convey Croatian experiences to support Kosovo’s accession to regional and Euro-Atlantic organisations and initiatives.
“Croatia considers Kosovo a friendly country and an important regional partner to which we will continue to provide strong support, as before, by transferring experience and knowledge of military training and education,” stated Minister Anušić.
The security and stability of Kosovo and the Western Balkans are very important to Croatia, and Croatia will continue to provide support in terms of the experience and expertise needed on the path of Kosovo’s accession to NATO and the European Union. This was pointed out in the context of current security political topics and the situation in Southeast Europe, which were also discussed at the meeting.
In this regard, it was noted that 150 members of the Croatian Armed Forces are now serving in the NATO mission KFOR since 2009. “We are committed to supporting NATO’s endeavours to uphold security and stability in Kosovo and the surrounding area via KFOR and dialogue within the EU,” Minister Anušić declared. He also expressed his belief that, given the current circumstances, those who were responsible for the Banjska attacks ought to be sanctioned.
Referring to the support that the Republic of Croatia provides to the Republic of Kosovo within the framework of regional initiatives, which is very important for Kosovo in the context of further international emancipation, Minister Anušić highlighted RACVIAC as a successful regional platform in promoting security and stability in Southeastern Europe and thanked the Kosovo side for the significant contribution and active participation in the work of RACVIAC. “It is important that you continue on this path, and the Republic of Croatia will continue to advocate Kosovo’s full membership in the U.S.-Adriatic Charter (A-5) as well as openness to Kosovo’s participation in all regional projects,” he added.
Martin Berishaj, the Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo, expressed gratitude to Croatia for its long-term assistance and support during the Kosovo Security Forces’ training, education, and formation processes. He further expressed appreciation for Croatia’s joint efforts to stabilise Southeast Europe and Kosovo’s aspirations to join the European Union. Regarding the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia’s participation in the KFOR operation in Kosovo, the Ambassador stated, “We appreciate the Croatian side’s proactive contribution to the stabilisation and security processes of the region.” He stated that he wished to enhance overall bilateral relations between Croatia and Kosovo, particularly with regard to defence cooperation.
