President Milanović: CAF will not participate in the military parade in Paris, nor did the French come to Zagreb
“The Croatian Army will not participate in the military parade in Paris,” confirmed the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces, Zoran Milanović, during a press statement in Supetar. “Orders are not issued by the HDZ cartel, nor Plenković, nor Anušić, but by me when I deem it necessary, in situations I evaluate as critical, heavily politicized, and detrimental to Croatia, to our reputation, and our dignity. So, I do not know whom Plenković intends to send to Paris; perhaps the majorettes, whom I respect, but soldiers cannot go unless I permit it,” said the President, noting that according to the Constitution and the law, the Croatian Armed Forces are represented by the Commander in Chief, both at home and abroad.
“Plenković received the invitation. He keeps it in a drawer, and does not discuss it with me. He must discuss it with me. My opinion is generally that of an observer, but when I evaluate something as unfavourable, then I am the arbiter and the VAR room, and that’s it. Therefore, the army will not go,” President Milanović emphasized, further stating the reasons why the Croatian Army will not participate in the parade in Paris.
One of the reasons why the CAF will not participate in the military parade in Paris is the fact that France did not send its military to the military parade in Zagreb last year. “Last year we had a military parade, once in ten years, to which we invited all of our NATO allies. Not everyone came. The Americans, the British, and another group of countries did come. They sent a flag and at least a few soldiers to carry that flag in formation, and salute the hosts. There is one country where we left over a billion euros recently, and that is France. Not only did they fail to show up, but they didn’t even offer an excuse. This is a country, with which we don’t have any serious military cooperation, but we are their customer. We have a commercial relationship. And then you expect them to come once in ten years on our national holiday. We bought goods from them for a massive amount of money, and they do not show up. Half a year later, there they are in Belgrade. That is why they did not come – because they were trading with Belgrade. I will not even get into that topic, we allowed it ourselves, they made their decision, and they are ignoring us and going to Serbia. A complete snub of Croatia,” explained President Milanović.
When it comes to the CAF’s departure to Paris, the President of the Republic reiterated that “it will be as I decide, and Plenković can change into a uniform and carry the Croatian flag.” He emphasized that he expects “respect, as well as reciprocal and mutual relations” from France. “Plenković says that the French flew over Lake Jarun the other day. When it was time to bring the flag and stand among Croatian allies, they were nowhere to be found. Why aren’t they here? They are trading with Belgrade using the exact same goods they sold to us,” said President Milanović, emphasizing that he considers the US to be Croatia’s only true ally. “I am soon heading to Slunj for the conclusion of Croatia’s largest military exercise this year. It is a military exercise of the Croatian Army, and out of all our allies, only the Americans are there. The people we do actual work with, those are my allies,” he said.
As the second reason why he does not want the CAF to go to Paris, the President highlighted the fact that the French are presenting the event as a “promotion of the Coalition of the Willing.” “We are being invited by a military whose top soldier, the Chief of the French General Staff, sends messages of blood and death saying: prepare yourselves for your children to die,” stated President Milanović, emphasizing that a situation in which soldiers have the right to communicate politically in such a manner is unacceptable to him. “We are living in a time when several Western generals are speaking about politics, about the inevitability of war with Russia. When generals start talking about politics, it is time for us to pull the brake. Croatia will not only refuse to participate in such a coalition while I am president, but will do everything it can to distance itself from it,” said President Milanović.
President Milanović reminded that, as Prime Minister, he supported the CAF’s attendance at the military parade in Paris in 2013, because the then-President of the Republic and Commander in Chief supported it as well. “Had President Josipović said no, it would have been a no. But we all said yes and went there. Why did we go back then? It was a different world. We had just entered the European Union, and were the exclusive guest at that parade. Now, the French have invited absolutely everyone. They want a formation on the Champs-Élysées as a monument to French greatness. I am not sure how many European nations will agree to that, but I know Croatia will not,” concluded President Milanović.
He also commented on the revocation of Branimir Glavaš’s decorations: “When I was returning his decorations – because the Constitutional Court had declared him an innocent person until the proceedings were completed again – I said that if it ended with a final and legally binding verdict again, I would act to revoke them again. I could agree with him or his lawyer on one thing – I am not the happiest either with a practice where decorations are revoked by someone who didn’t award them to you. This agony has been going on for twenty years for the victims’ families, and even for Glavaš personally, after all. The court ruled as it ruled, and I am acting strictly formally here. There is truth in the fact that Tuđman gave him the decorations for something he deemed valuable at that moment, and Tuđman is no longer alive and cannot revoke them. I acted as I acted – I announced this, and I cannot and will not walk back on it,” said President Milanović.