If Finland votes to join NATO on May 12, there are those who could spoil the party for Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and his parliament, who are now much more than inclined to join the Atlantic Alliance: that’s it Zoran Milanovic, President of Croatia ready to oppose annexation of Helsinki. “I will die politically if necessary” – he said in an interview with the Croatian newspaper “Jutarnji List”, adding: “As the president of the state representing Croatia at the head of NATO, he will oppose Finland’s invitation and Sweden’s veto this plane”. The last part has to be translated: For Milanovic, the question about Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding the country’s electoral law must first be clarified. He had already said it last week, he repeated it in the last few hours.
“It’s a betrayal”
But why is the Croatian President so concerned about Bosnia that he votes against Finland? The Croatians living there have practically no opportunity to do so Select their favorite politicians in Sarajevo. That is why, for him, the issue takes precedence over other aspects, and he stressed that he “will pursue like the devil the sinful souls of any MEP who votes for it. It would be a Treason“As stated in Article 10 of the NATO treaty, the consent of all members is required: a single no is enough to blow up the whole bank, unanimity is required.
Because Milanovic is isolated
In government circles in Zagreb, people familiar with NATO’s procedures and the two countries’ accession dynamics say Milanovic is aware that he will ultimately fail objection when Finland and Sweden join, because “the decision to admit the two countries will be taken in the North Atlantic Council, which means that it will be approved at the level of the ambassadors and not the heads of government or heads of state”. This means that if an ambassador is invited, Milanovic cannot force him to take a stand against the council of ambassadors. As reported by Il Messaggero, the Croatian Parliament intends to say yes to the candidacy of Sweden and Finland: Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman said that this decision “can only contribute to strengthening collective defense and security” and Croatia’s position is clear.
Milanovic had already made his position clear last week, affirming the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO with the phrase “a very dangerous adventure” and stressing that he was “in a terrible situation” in which countries like Bulgaria and Romania cannot join Schengen, “North Macedonia and Albania cannot start accession negotiations with the EU, Kosovo will not be recognized, while Finland can join NATO overnight”.