Croatian PM rejects President's meeting call over Paris parade participation

A sharp political dispute has erupted between Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and President Zoran Milanović over the participation of Croatian Armed Forces in a military parade in Paris. President Milanović had called for an urgent meeting, citing alleged government pressure on the Chief of the General Staff and a threat to the command system. He issued a "Command" attempting to prohibit the soldiers' participation in the July 14th parade.

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I do not see the need for the proposed meeting until you withdraw your 'Command' which has no basis in law.

Prime Minister Plenković responded forcefully, rejecting the President's claims and refusing the meeting until the "Command" is withdrawn. Plenković argued that Milanović's order lacks any legal basis in Croatian law. He reminded the President that French President Emmanuel Macron had invited the Croatian Armed Forces to the traditional parade, and that Croatia's participation was deemed appropriate, especially given France's participation in Croatia's Statehood Day celebrations.

The core of the disagreement lies in the legal authority governing such deployments. Defense Minister Ivan Anušić issued a decision on June 30th, permitting the participation of approximately twenty members of the Armed Forces. This decision was made in accordance with Article 69, Paragraph 5 of the Defense Act, which empowers the Defense Minister to approve border crossings for protocol and ceremonial activities for units up to the platoon level.

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I categorically reject the unfounded claim from your letter that the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces is under pressure from the Government, unless you mean by that the expectation that the Chief of the General Staff should act in accordance with the Defense Act and implement the lawful decision of the Minister of Defense.

Plenković categorically dismissed Milanović's assertion that the Chief of the General Staff was under undue pressure, suggesting the President might mean the expectation that the Chief should act in accordance with the law and implement the Defense Minister's lawful decision. He also rejected the President's "unfounded and arbitrary" assessment of the command system being endangered and dismissed his insinuations about violating the Criminal Code. The Prime Minister insisted that the legal provision underpinning the Defense Minister's decision is clear and unambiguous, urging the President to operate within his constitutional and legal framework.

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decisions on crossing the border for protocol-ceremonial activities of units at the level of platoon and below are made by the Minister of Defense