PM proposes meeting of Defense and Security Councils to President

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković is sending a proposal to President Zoran Milanović to convene a joint session of the Defense Council and the National Security Council.

The two leaders have long had a strained relationship, with disagreements over Ukraine and Israel further complicating their constitutional obligation to cooperate on defense and foreign policy. Plenković said on Monday that a number of unresolved issues now require discussion.

Speaking after a coalition meeting, Justice Minister Damir Habijan outlined the proposed agenda:

“It’s been four years since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine. We now have conflict in the Middle East, with implications for energy and the economy, as well as the rearmament of neighboring countries. These are all issues for the Defense and National Security Councils.”

The opposition agrees the meeting is necessary given the geopolitical situation. Božo Petrov of Most said personal differences must be set aside.

“I don’t care if they dislike each other privately—one is the president, the other the prime minister. We’re not toddlers. They must cooperate because the security of our citizens is at stake," said Petrov.

SDP MP Arsen Bauk said the ruling HDZ is under pressure over its stance on the Israel–Iran conflict and is seeking to ease tensions.

“This is an attempt to calm the situation, bring the president’s rhetoric down, and move these issues into an institutional framework they’ve been obstructing for years," said Bauk.

Independent MP Nino Raspudić said the councils should also address Serbia’s reported purchase of Chinese air-to-surface ballistic missiles, revealed last week.

“They should have met as soon as the news broke. Either someone was misleading the public or failed in their duty. We need answers from the Chinese Embassy in Zagreb—whether this is true, the scale of it, and what it means for relations,” said Raspudić.

The proposal was expected to be delivered to the President’s Office on Tuesday.