2019-01-14, 13:07 update: 2019-01-14, 19:44
Photo PAP/Jakub Borowski
Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said after a meeting with the Croatian Deputy PM and Defence Minister, Damir Krsticevic, in Zagreb on Monday that the bilateral framework agreement "will help intensify Polish-Croatian military cooperation."
"We have signed a framework agreement on defence cooperation. It is composed of 25 elements, is very comprehensive and provides grounds for a consolidation of relations," Błaszczak said.
"We also spoke about cooperation of arms industries. We are on a good path to strengthening it. We have common plans on how to use the potential of our states to build a system, which will ensure the security of Poland, Croatia and Europe," the Polish official declared.
Minister Błaszczak expressed thanks for "the presence of Croatian troops in Poland," and added that, later this year, Poland and Croatia will be on duty as part of the Visegrad (V4) EU Battlegroup."
"Poland and Croatia are linked by friendly relations. We are similar to each other, we share the same values. We show solidarity towards each other and also our NATO and EU partners. We will be doing our best to consolidate these relations and to make Poland, Croatia and Europe a secure place," he underlined.
Minister Krsticevic stated that Croatian and Polish troops "have been participating in enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) NATO operations in Poland," and emphasised that this was a sign of Croatia's solidarity and friendship with Poland.
The Croatian official added that a strong NATO and a strong EU are Croatia's and Poland's common goal, and expressed hope for the participation of the two countries in a multi-national aviation programme. (PAP)
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