Plenković: UN members have the right to choose their own path and not depend on their neighbors' permission

Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković gave a speech before the UN General Assembly on Friday. “All members of the United Nations have the right to choose their own path and not depend on the permission of their neighbors,” he said, as conflicts continue in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Croatia understands the value of peace, security and international solidarity

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said that Croatia has a firm belief that "every nation has the right to self-determination and protection according to the UN Charter".

“As a country that has gone through conflict and the painful process of post-war recovery, Croatia understands firsthand the value of peace, security and international solidarity. In a world that is facing increasingly intense crises, from Ukraine to Gaza and Sudan, Croatia firmly believes that every nation has the right to self-determination and protection according to the UN Charter,” Prime Minister Plenković said at the beginning of his presentation before the UN General Assembly.

Citizens of UN member states must freely choose their own path

While the world is rocked by more and more crises and wars, Plenković pointed out that UN members have the right to choose their own path.

“All member states of the United Nations have the right to be independent and their citizens must freely choose their own path. They must not depend on the permission of their neighbors nor be left alone to succumb to the military aggression of their neighbors. In this sense, we will not tire in our support for Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity and in providing assistance. We invite everyone to do the same. At the same time, the threat of a wider conflict in the Middle East is evident. The heinous terrorist attack on Israel on October 7 appalled us, as did the unspeakable ongoing tragedy experienced by the Palestinian population in Gaza, where tens of thousands have been killed and wounded. Regardless of historical or current problems, continuing on this path will not bring a permanent solution, only more death and destruction. We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all remaining hostages and for both sides to engage in genuine negotiations to end hostilities and prevent further escalation. The Middle East and its people deserve a better future. The rest of the world too,” Plenković said.

The Prime Minister added that Croatia remains committed to supporting Ukraine since "brutal Russian aggression continues for the third year, trampling on all principles of international law."

But at the same time, he warned that the wars in Ukraine and Gaza "overshadow the great humanitarian and civil disaster that is unfolding in Sudan" and called on the leaders that Africa "should not be left aside".

Croatia wants to continue working on the three pillars of peace

“The Charter of the United Nations is not a document that can easily be replaced by something else. We must fight for world order more than ever before. Let us breathe new energy into the revival of effective multilateral cooperation. Don't make it just a dead letter full of platitudes that we turn to at times like this. Let's turn to arms control, disarmament to reduce tensions arising from current conflicts that are intentional or the result of misunderstandings,” he said.

“Extremists and terrorist groups and their satellites are a great danger and pose a serious threat to the entire world. The fight against terrorism and preventive actions must be coordinated at the level of the entire international community,” he added.

As a country that proudly hosted and offered support and also enabled the success of the UN Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, and as a country that managed to join NATO only a decade after the departure of the last peacekeeper from our territory, Croatia knows very well how much commitment is necessary to preserve peace. This year, when Croatia is the vice-chairman of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, Croatia wants to continue working on the three pillars of peace - security, development and human rights,” Prime Minister Plenković pointed out.

“We don't have much time left to focus on the future, on structural prevention, on national strategies and action plans that will enable missions when countries request it. Likewise, we still have additional work to do, and you can count on Croatia's experience in the UN Peacebuilding Commission, and hopefully in 2026 as well,” Prime Minister Plenković said.

The stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina is important

He referred to the southeast of Europe and said that Croatia is an example of successful integration into the European Union and NATO, and that this gives "authority" to the youngest member of the Union in "advocating for peace, stability and the European aspirations of its neighbors."

“For Croatia, the stability of neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, with which we share a border that is more than a thousand kilometers long, is of particular importance. In order to achieve security and stability in the country, the full constitutional equality of the three constituent nations - Croats, Bosniaks and Serbs - must be ensured, and the Dayton-Paris Agreements, the peace treaties that ended the war and confirmed the multinationality, multiconfessionalism and multiculturalism of Bosnia and Herzegovina, must be maintained,” emphasized Plenković.

On climate change

In part of the address, he referred to the fight against climate change and said that "it is not by chance" that Croatia received the portfolio for the Mediterranean in the new European Commission, because it is expected that the Mediterranean will be severely affected by climate change.

He recalled that Croatia is in high 8th place out of 193 UN members in the implementation of sustainable development goals.

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