Minister Habijan says no one from Government is obstructing the appointment of ambassadors

Speaking to reporters after the meeting of the parliamentary majority on Wednesday, the Justice Minister commented on the Croatian President’s statement earlier in the day that the chaos in the appointment of Croatian ambassadors and consuls general only suits the Prime Minister.

Commenting on a statement from Croatian President Zoran Milanović that the chaos in the appointment of Croatia’s diplomatic corps is solely to the benefit of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Justice, Administration and Digital Transformation Minister Damir Habijan said that neither the Prime Minister, the Government, nor the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry is obstructing the selection of ambassadors and diplomats.

"To avoid a substitution of theses, let it be very clear: this proposal of persons for positions in diplomacy came from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Neither the government, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, nor the Prime Minister are obstructing their selection," Habijan said.

Earlier in the day President Milanović said that by blocking the appointments Plenković retains a "level of control" he would have otherwise lost, adding that he considered it shameful that there are as many as 90 ambassadors and consuls general who await appointment. He also commented on the proposed list of candidates submitted to him by the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry: "There are people who, in my opinion, should never become ambassadors, there are people who should not work in the service."

Habijan recalled that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed to President Milanović 90 people suitable for appointments because they are under 65 years old and have experience in diplomatic positions. He confirmed that the president submitted 23 names, but also emphasized that "among them, eight had never been in the system at all and have had no contact with diplomacy. He also recalled that in 2020 there was a regular selection of new diplomats when President Milanović proposed a 50:50 split, which legally does not exist in diplomacy. The Minister of Justice still hopes that the Office of the President and the Foreign Affairs Ministry will come to an agreement in the interest of Croatian foreign policy and diplomacy.

Source: HRT