Croatia against resolution - MVEP and the president differ in opinion

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MVEP) explained why Croatia voted against the UN resolution demanding an immediate, permanent and sustainable humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. Hamas is not mentioned by name in the document, 14 countries voted against the resolution, among them Croatia. The Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia announced that President Zoran Milanović was neither consulted nor informed about how Croatia would vote, and that the Government marked the Republic of Croatia as an opponent of peace.

MVEP: The resolution does not mention the Hamas attack

The position of the Republic of Croatia has been clear and principled from the beginning. We condemn the terrorist attack by Hamas, emphasize Israel's right to security and self-defence, while respecting the provisions of international humanitarian law as well as the protection of the civilian population, according to the statement of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

Therefore, the interpretations that by voting "against" the resolution in the UN General Assembly, Croatia is also against humanitarian pauses, providing aid to Gaza or protecting the civilian population are incorrect. After all, just last week, the Government of the Republic of Croatia sent urgent humanitarian aid to the population of the Gaza Strip in the amount of 250,000 euros, MVEP adds.

The text of the resolution in question does not mention that Hamas carried out a terrorist attack on October 7 of this year, nor does it demand the unconditional release of the hostages. This statement also goes against the conclusions of the European Council, in which Hamas is clearly named. The majority of EU member states voted against or abstained in relation to the resolution presented in this way, according to the press release.

The European Union at the meeting of the European Council summit proposed "humanitarian pauses" so that the civilian population of the Gaza Strip could receive the necessary assistance, without Hamas receiving the necessary support. Croatia clearly supported such a proposal. In the case of the resolution in question, Croatia could not support the draft that does not name or mention Hamas, which carried out the attack and massacre of civilians, which is considered the greatest single suffering of Jews after World War II, it added.

At the same time, Croatia remains firmly committed to international efforts aimed at preventing further regional escalation of the current crisis, the MVEP press release points out.

President of the Republic: Croatia should have abstained

The Ambassador of the Republic of Croatia to the United Nations voted in the UN General Assembly against the resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian truce and the cessation of hostilities in Gaza exclusively by order of the Government of the Republic of Croatia. The Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia was neither consulted nor informed about the position that the Croatian ambassador to the UN will represent on behalf of the Republic of Croatia, according to a press release from the Office of the President signed by spokesman Nikola Jelić.

It is not the first time that the Government of the Republic of Croatia did not consult the President of the Republic on foreign policy decisions and thus violate its constitutional obligation to co-create the foreign policy of the Republic of Croatia with the President of the Republic. However, in this delicate case, the Government of the Republic of Croatia, with its thoughtless and harmful decision, marked the Republic of Croatia as an opponent of peace and a violator of international humanitarian law, thus causing long-term damage to Croatia's international reputation. It is even more dangerous that the Government of the Republic of Croatia, with its decision, unnecessarily compromised national security and exposed the Republic of Croatia to potential threats, for which it will have to bear full responsibility, he points out.

On Friday, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for an "immediate, permanent and sustainable humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza. 14 countries were against it, among them Croatia. The document, drawn up under the sponsorship of Jordan and Arab countries, was put to a vote at an extraordinary session of the UN General Assembly to discuss the nearly three-week war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, which began after a brutal attack by Hamas militants on Israeli civilians on October 7.

Fourteen countries voted against the so-worded resolution. Along with Israel and the USA, Croatia was among them. From the EU members, they were joined by Austria, Hungary and the Czech Republic. Most of the EU members abstained, but that did not prevent France, Spain, Slovenia, Portugal, Ireland and Belgium from being "for".

Source: HRT