Zoran Milanovic

Croatian political leaders, wartime generals and war veterans gathered on Friday in the town of Knin to mark the anniversary of the country's victorious military offensive, Operation Storm, which effectively ended the independence war in the country in 1995.

Brijuni – The presidents of Slovenia, Croatia and Austria urged accelerating EU accession talks with Western Balkan countries and condemned the war in Ukraine, which they believe cannot be resolved diplomatically at the moment. At their annual meeting in Croatia, they also discussed NATO enlargement and Croatia’s eurozone and Schengen zone entry.

Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Gordan Grlić-Radman strongly disagreed with the behavior of President Zoran Milanović, who described Ukraine as "the most corrupt country in the world".

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic has apologized to Ukraine after President Zoran Milanovic said it was one of the most corrupt countries in the world - and that Croatia should withdraw its soldiers from there, even though no Croatian soldiers are actually stationed there.

In the event of a conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Croatian authorities will withdraw all military personnel from NATO forces in Eastern Europe. This was announced on Tuesday by the President of the Republic Zoran Milanovic on the national television HRT.

North Macedonia is in favor of a diplomatic solution to the dispute between Russia and Ukraine, but there is a possibility that it will get involved in a possible conflict, if NATO asks for something like that, said the Minister of Defense, Slavjanka Petrovska.
Such a move would be possible only with the consent of the President of North Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski.

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic (L), Slovenian President Borut Pahor (C), Member of the Bosnian Presidency, Milorad Dodik (R). Photo: EPA-EFE/IGOR KUPLJENIK

"We won't solve this problem without the Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina," Milanovic said.

Then September brought a flurry of meetings: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu travelled to Serbia to open a Turkish consulate in the city of Novi Pazar, part of the southwestern region of Sandzak, straddling both Serbia and Montenegro and mainly populated by Bosniak Muslims; Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic visited Erdogan in Istanbul; and Erdogan met Croatian President Zoran Milanov

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) and Bosnia presidency member Milorad Dodik (L) meeting in Sarajevo, July 8, 2019. Photo: EPA-EFE/FEHIM DEMIR

The Bosnian Serb leader earlier threatened to withdraw all Bosnian Serb officials from state-level institutions and re-establish a Bosnian Serb army, fomenting fresh fears of Bosnia's collapse and of armed conflict.

He pointed out that there are many sources of misunderstanding in Bosnia-Herzegovina and that relations must be considered in more detail.
"When it comes to Mr Dodik, his unusual expression, someone may like it or not, but he is supported by the largest number of representatives of the Serb people in Bosnia-Herzegovina," Covic told HRT, as reported by Srna.