Minister Krstičević meets with Ambassador of Germany
The Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Damir Krstičević on 22 November 2018 at met with the incoming Ambassador fo the Federal Republic of Germany to the Republic of Croatia, H. E. Robert Klinke.
Minister Krstičević briefed Ambassador Klinke on the current situation in the Ministry of Defence and in the Croatian Armed Forces and with the plans for the future and the two sides affirmed the traditionally good bilateral relations between Croatia and Germany.
The Minister underlined that the co-operation to date was an outcome of Croatia’s clear strategic orientation towards Germany: “The Federal Republic of Germany is Croatia’s strategic partner in defence and security in Europe. The EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy has engaged Croatia and Germany to contribute to the stabilisation of southeast Europe, through the PESCO Initiative and the EUBattlegroups.
The Minister also informed Ambassandor Klinke on the participation of members of the Croatian Armed Forces in international peace operations; Croatia and Germany had jointly participated in NATO’s Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan (with Germany is a Lead NAtion) and KFOR , as well as in the EU-led perations NAVFOR ATALANTA in Somalia and EUNAVFOR Med SOPHIA.
The partnership of the two countries is also exercised within NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence, with the Croatian forces assigned to the Germany-led Battlegroup and to the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force with Germany as the Lead Force in 2019.