The President of the Republic Zoran Milanovi\u0107 spoke on the phone today with the President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinist\u00f6. The topic of their conversation, initiated by President Niinist\u00f6, was Finland\u2019s application for membership in NATO, and the forthcoming meeting of NATO heads of state and governments to be held in Madrid at the end of June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
President Milanovi\u0107 informed the Finnish president of his position as regards NATO enlargement. He said that in principle he does not oppose Finland\u2019s membership in NATO, but acquainted him with the serious political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina threatening the survival of Croats as a constituent people in BiH and also jeopardizing the national interests of the Republic of Croatia. In the phone call, President Milanovi\u0107 explained in detail to President Niinist\u00f6 that the Croats in BiH have been subjected to election manipulations for years, and that once again they are being forced to participate in elections that will be held according to unconstitutional election rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Croats in BiH have been deprived of the possibility of electing their legitimate representatives in government bodies, which is contrary to the letter and spirit of the Dayton Agreement, and discriminates the Croats as a constituent people of BiH, President MIlanovi\u0107 told the Finnish President in their telephone conversation. President Milanovi\u0107 underlined that Croatia\u2019s interest is a politically and security stable BiH in which all three constituent peoples will be allowed to choose their legitimate representatives, and this should be in the interest of the European Union and NATO as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Republic of Croatia expects understanding from its partners in the EU and NATO in terms of the need to protect the rights of Croats in BiH, and consequently the protection of its national interests, including Finland\u2019s understanding, which is Croatia\u2019s partner in the EU, President Milanovi\u0107 told President Niinist\u00f6 in their telephone conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the phone call, Finnish President Niinist\u00f6 invited President Milanovi\u0107 to pay an Official visit to the Republic of Finland, which the Croatian President accepted.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanovi\u0107 spoke on the phone today with the President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinist\u00f6. The topic of their conversation, initiated by President Niinist\u00f6, was Finland\u2019s application for membership in NATO, and the forthcoming meeting of NATO heads of state and governments to be held in Madrid at the end of June.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":17668,"template":"","news-cat":[12],"class_list":["post-17670","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-cat-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n