Minister Krstičević meets with Polish Defence Minister in Krakow
On 27 December 2017 (the first day of the visit) Minister Damir Krstičević met with the Minister of National Defence of Poland Antoni Macierewicz in Krakow
The Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Damir Krstičević and the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, General Mirko Šundov are heading the respective delegations in a visit to the members of the 1st HRVCON to NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence in Poland and Lithuania.
On 27 December 2017 (the first day of the visit) Minister Damir Krstičević met with the Minister of National Defence of Poland Antoni Macierewicz in Krakow, at their second meeting in the current year, confirming the friendly relations between Croatia and Poland.
Minister Macierewicz was in an official visit to Croatia earlier this year, visiting the 25th Military Pilgrimage to Marija Bistrica on 1 and 2 October 2017, when he met with the Croatian Defence Minister.
The two ministers announced the signature of the agreement on the intensification of defence co-operation in several fields (primarily in the defence industry, the joint activities of special forces and exercises and training events and education programmes for the members of the respective armed forces) in the first quarter of 2018.
The Republic of Poland is one of Croatia’s most important European partners and allies in the defence domain.
Minister Krstičević stressd: “Our visit and NATO mission in Poland with the participation of the Croatian soldiers evinces the friendship and solidarity with the Polish people. Croatian engagement in the eFP mission proves Croatia as a committed NATO member. I am glad to have the opportunity to visit the Croatian soldiers in the base here in Poland during the holidays. Croatia and Poland share many common values; I also welcome that the two countries have recongnised the importance of future co-operation of their defence industries“.
Minister Macierewicz appreciated Minister Krstičević’s visit and the contribution of the Croatian troops in NATO’s eFP in Poland “as an expression of solidarity of the Croatian Armed Forces towards Poland. The co-operation between Croatia and Poland is exemplary for other countries“.
They also discussed the EU’s PESCO and potential joint projects within it (Poland and Croatia both recently acceded the Initiative).
On 28 November Minister Krstičević and the Chief of the General Staff met with the members of the 1st HRVCON to NATO’s eFP in the Bemowo Piskie Training Area in Poland.