The Croatian government wants to participate in the joint EU military assistance. However, by doing so, the cabinet is putting the country at risk and distracting attention from problems at home, the opposition says. The president does not support Zagreb's participation in the mission either.

101 votes are needed for the adoption of the proposal

The Croatian parliament has tabled a government proposal for Croatia to participate in the training of Ukrainian soldiers as part of a European project named the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM). Approval requires a two-thirds majority, but this outcome is far from certain in the vote scheduled for mid-December. Up to 100 Ukrainian soldiers would be sent to Croatia for training, and around 80 Croatian trainers would assist the Ukrainians in other EU countries. President Zoran Milanovic and the opposition do not support this proposal. Parliament is also divided on the issue, so it is doubtful whether the proposal gets the 101 votes required for adoption.

The training of Ukrainian soldiers in Croatia would only distract attention from the problems caused by the crisis, the opposition says.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said that the issue boils down to only one question. The parliamentary vote in mid-December will show who wants to help Ukraine and who does not. The 77 MPs close to the government will vote yes, while he cannot speak for the opposition, as their support is not guaranteed.

„After this, it will no longer be the responsibility of the government to decide whether Croatia participates in the training of Ukrainian soldiers,”

the premier commented on the opposition’s rejection.

The right-wing opposition, however, believes that this proposal is a threat to Croatia and that PM Plenkovic is drawing a target on the backs of the Croatian people. Marijan Pavlicek, representing the sovereignists in the parliamentary debate, said: the government is playing with fire.

„If you eventually do manage to secure 101 votes, perhaps by paying off lawmakers, be very careful,”

the politician warned, adding that those who voted for the proposal will be responsible if something happens in Croatia in the coming years, be it an assassination or a similar incident, Mr Pavlicek said.

The government only wants to divert the public’s attention from real everyday problems, said Peda Grbin, president of the opposition Social Democratic Party. He called on Andrej Plenkovic to act like a prime minister, not like a party leader.

You make a daily political circus out of this issue. You use it to cover up your dealings,

the politician pointed out.

The government coalition is more concerned with Ukrainian affairs than with the everyday problems Croats are facing, Mr Grbin underlined.

The EU is not united either

The European Union adopted it decision to conduct a military assistance mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) in October. „The strategic objective of EUMAM Ukraine shall be to contribute to enhancing the military capability of Ukraine’s Armed Forces (UAF) to regenerate and to effectively conduct operations, in order to allow Ukraine to defend its territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, effectively exercise its sovereignty and protect the civilians in Ukraine,” the European Union’s official website says.

The implementation of the mission is already under way. The training of the first battalion of Ukrainian soldiers began on 29 November in Poland. Hungary was the only EU member state that did not vote in favour of the decision on 17 October, but chose the option of constructive abstention, meaning that the country will not participate in the mission and will not contribute to financing it.

Hungary did not hinder other member states from launching such a mission, but the country does not consider this decision to be mandatory, Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said following the adoption of the decision.