Croatia calls on EU and NATO states: They can join the military alliance, separately those who want to give support to Kosovo, Albania

The joint agreement signed between Croatia, Albania and Kosovo in the field of military co-operation has sparked numerous reactions, especially from Serbia. There has also been talk of increasing the number of countries that will join this initiative. Most have been spoken of Bulgaria, which has also sparked controversy, yet official Sofia has denied it.

Regarding all this created situation, the Ministry of Defence of Croatia has spoken. From official Zagreb, they have said the initiative has opened for all partners in the EU and NATO, especially those interested in helping Kosovo and Albania on the path of integration.

Help can be provided in terms of expertise, skills development and interactions between the armed forces and efforts in the field of defence industry.

“Sic has communicated several times to the public the Croatian Defence Ministry, the Joint Declaration signed by the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Kosovo is open to all allies and partners in the EU and NATO environment, especially for those interested in providing active support for Kosovo and Albania on their Euro-Atlantic path, through transfer of experience and expertise, development of skills and interoperability of the armed forces, and through the synergy of efforts in the field of defence industry”, have said the Express by the Ministry of Defence of Croatia.

Because of the numerous reactions that were prompted by this agreement and because of statements coming from Serbia, all three states have published the full text of the military co-operation agreement.

Text of Declaration:

1. Promoting defence capacities and co-operation for the relevant industry, by:

Indicative the development and acquisition of defence capacities through solutions to multinational co-operation to increase readiness of our military forces;

Identified spaces for industrial defence co-operation, promoting access to resources and supply chains to create a competitive and sustainable defence industry;

Established efforts to invest in new technologies and innovations to accelerate and ensure a unified approach to transformation of security and defence.

Increased interoperability through education, training and training by:

Share the best expertise and practice in recruiting, developing and maintaining qualified personnel, including exchanging reserve forces concepts, to increase our preventive and protective capacities;

It increased the possibilities of individual and collective education and training through respective military academies and colleges in order to have better understanding on the strategic basis of common threats and challenges;

Strengthening bilateral and/or trilateral exercises to improve interoperability, in line with NATO and EU Policy for Training and Training, to ensure that forces are adequately prepared.

Against hybrid threats and increasing endurance,

Strengthening joint steps to counter hybrid threats, including cyber threats, dezinformation campaigns, and malicious foreign influence that can compromise or affect national and regional security;

Traded intelligence information and services for strategic and operational awareness and co-ordination of the situation between defence institutions to prevent, detect and react effectively against the challenges our respective countries face;

Exploration of response options addressing a wide range of possible threats to our critical infrastructure and communication networks and supporting cohesion and mutual assistance.

Offering full support for Euro-Atlantic integration by:

Draws up policies and positions with Euro-Atlantic institutions and multilateral structures for security and defence to advance our national and common regional interests and goals;

As told by commitment to co-operation and closer co-ordination for Kosovo's full integration in regional defence security initiatives;

Supporting Kosovo's Euro-Atlantic perspective by providing support for its status in NATO's Partnership for Peace.

This Joint Declaration is made in the spirit of friendship, solidarity and mutual trust. It reflects the common strategic visions of the Republic of Albania, the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Kosovo. It creates no new international or intergovernmental legal obligation between states, nor does it influence existing obligations with other states.