President Milanović: Aircraft overflight personally arranged by Prime Minister, self-will of someone not in chain of command
After banning military aircraft overflights in Zagreb and populated areas yesterday, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief Zoran Milanović justified his action today “because of the self-will of someone who isn’t even in the chain of command”.
“The joint overflight in Zagreb was personally arranged between the Prime Minister and the French Navy commander as he was visiting the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier”, President Milanović stated, referring to a report he ordered yesterday and received today from the Chief of the General Staff Admiral Robert Hranj.
“Yesterday I banned military aircraft overflights in population areas until further notice, until I get a report on exactly what happened. Yesterday, residents were unnecessarily and rudely upset in an already unsettling situation on account of recent events. I received the report from the Chief of the General Staff”, President Milanović added, and announced that he will see to it from now on that such situations do not reoccur.
The President stressed that Croatia appreciates the assistance from Allies and that military aircraft will further fly, including US aircraft, but it will all take place in accordance with a plan. “Normally airplanes will fly, we appreciate the Allies’ assistance. But inaction, incompetence, ignorance and neglecting the system cannot be a pretext for such self-will of someone who isn’t even in the chain of command”, the President noted.
Speaking of joint military exercises of Croatian and French aircraft, the President repeated that they are “activities that will further take place in the coming days”, which he has personally permitted, however, when such situations occur he will react, “especially when we know how this incident came about yesterday”. And it occurred because the Prime Minister visited the aircraft carrier and personally arranged with the French admiral for the overflight to take place at the same time the Prime Minister was holding a press conference.
No one in the military will be held accountable because the Chief of the General Staff acted on a decision by the Minister, who acted on the political order of his boss, the President of the Republic added, and concluded: “When I demand that air defense systems have to be procured, then this is disregarded. When I say that the state of affairs is unsatisfactory, then that formulation cannot be entered in the joint statement of the Defense Council. But one can go to an aircraft carrier every weekend to arrange party gatherings.”