Zoran Milanovic/EPA-EFE
Intentions Sweden and Finland joining NATO to shield themselves from a supposed Russian attack could be thwarted by political ambitions on the other side of Europe. Croatian President Zoran Milanovic threatened to block their entry into the Alliance.
Zoran Milanovic decided to take advantage of the opportunity to put pressure on other European countries. He is calling for a reform of the electoral law in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where many ethnic Croats live.
Elections will be held in Bosnia and Herzegovina soon. And the country's largest Croatian party is demanding reforms that will give Bosnia's Croats more power. The Croatian president and government joined in their calls.
Consequently, Milanovic decided to resort, in fact, to blackmail.
“For me, let them join NATO … but until the issue of the electoral legislation of Bosnia is resolved, until the Americans, the British, the Germans, if they can and want, do not forced (Bosnian officials – Channel 24) to change the electoral law in the next six months and give the Croats their basic rights, Parliament should not ratify anyone's accession to NATO,” Milanovic said.
Croatian President does not like the fact that Bulgaria and Romania cannot join the Schengen area, North Macedonia and Albania cannot start EU accession negotiations, and Kosovo has not been recognized, while Finland “may join NATO immediately”. Although it recognizes Finland as a “model country”.
It should be noted that if Finland and Sweden decide to join NATO, their applications must be ratified by all 30 members of the Alliance. Croatia has been a member of NATO since 2009. The agreement is ratified by the country's parliament, not the president.
