Plenković and Michal open the Croatian-Estonian Business Forum

The Estonian Prime Minister arrived in Zagreb for an official visit on Tuesday. During his stay in the Croatian capital he was received by his host Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, and subsequently by President Zoran Milanović and Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković.

After receiving the Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal in Zagreb today, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and his guest opened the Croatian-Estonian Business Forum, which focused on the security and defense industries. During his opening remarks, Prime Minister Plenković addressed Croatia’s defense sector spending plans with regard to the recently agreed to plan of all NATO member states to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP: "Our policy has been to invest steadily in greater defense capabilities of Croatia, especially in the Croatian military. Since I have been the Prime Minister we have tripled the defense budget. And this process is taking place within the big and radical transition from the eastern technology to the western technology, and it goes for all aspects of the Croatian military, whether its infantry, whether it's air force, whether its marine forces, or our radar systems, anti-aircraft systems. Everything that we are doing is directed towards a more stronger Croatian military and Croatian defense."

For his part Michal noted that Estonia is looking for a partner in defense sector production and that Croatia could easily fill that role. He added however, that defense spending needs to be smart and targeted: "Estonian defense sector is not about the mass production of tanks and so on. But, it's about smart and intelligent ways and innovation. For the Estonian side, probably what we are looking for is partnership with Croatia. Because we understand the challenges ahead. We are partners in NATO, we are partners in the EU, and right now everybody in the EU and NATO are asking the same question; as we are ramping up our defense expenditure how, and how smart can we do it?"

Source: HRT