Zagreb - On Friday, the Croatian Parliament approved twelve decisions to deploy Croatian troops to missions abroad, however, it did not vote on the decision to send officers to the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) mission, leaving it pending.
The NSATU mission, based in Wiesbaden, Germany, lacks prior approval from President Zoran Milanović. As a result, the government referred the matter to Parliament. For the decision to pass in Parliament, it requires a two-thirds majority, or the support of 101 MPs.
"Conditions for voting on the NSATU mission have not yet been met. Clearly, additional clarifications are needed to help opposition lawmakers understand the matter," Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said recently. The debate between the government and the opposition, as well as between the president and the government, on this issue has been ongoing since early October.
The NSATU mission was not included in the voting agenda, but twelve other decisions regarding the deployment of Croatian troops to international missions, which had the president's approval, were.
Parliament unanimously approved the participation of the Croatian Armed Forces in NATO's Forward Land Forces mission, the KFOR peacekeeping operation in Kosovo and the NATO Mission Iraq.
It also endorsed participation in the Sea Guardian peace support operation in the Mediterranean, the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2, the coalition forces' Operation Inherent Resolve, the European Union Operation EUNAVFOR- ATALANTA, the European Union Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, and peace support operations under the United Nations.
Parliament also approved the decision on the crossing of Croatian borders by NATO member states' armed forces and the Croatian Armed Forces engaged under the NATO force model for 2025 and 2026, and the decision on the crossing of Croatian borders by EU member states' armed forces and the Croatian Armed Forces participating in the EU's Rapid Deployment Capacity for 2025 and 2026.
Croatian soldiers will also be assigned to duties within NATO's command structure, NATO force structure, and other national (multinational) commands for NATO-led operations and activities abroad.