Croatian Defense Ministry halts mattress purchase from Serbia, prioritizing domestic industry

The Croatian Ministry of Defense has halted the procurement of mattresses from a Serbian company, a decision Defense Minister Ivan Anušić declared was made to bolster domestic production and the Croatian economy.

Anušić explained that the ministry's goal is to support Croatian industry and profit, rather than intermediaries who import goods. He specifically cited the case of a company with few employees that was reselling mattresses from Serbia, deeming this unacceptable for the Croatian Armed Forces.

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Support and will support, and they do and will continue to do so, their own industry, their own production, and Croatian profit.

The ministry had been close to signing a contract with the company that met the tender's requirements. However, the process has now been annulled. Officials announced that criteria for future public procurement procedures will be reviewed concerning production and supply.

This move signals a shift towards prioritizing national businesses in defense contracts, ensuring that military spending benefits the local economy. The ministry intends to revise its procurement strategies to align with this objective.

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I think that someone who has one employee in the company or two, who deals with classic resale and who is currently placing mattresses or some other goods on the Croatian market, in this case mattresses for the use of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia, and from Serbia, that is not acceptable to the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia.