Croatia is closely monitoring Serbia's large-scale military rearmament, which almost resembles a "shopping spree", Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said, emphasizing that Zagreb is developing its armed forces solely for the purpose of deterrence, HINA reported.
Plenković commented on the topic during a meeting with Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder in Zagreb, after Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anušić described Serbia's rhetoric and military buildup as increasingly aggressive.
"We are closely monitoring developments in Serbia," Plenkovic also said, adding that the issue had also been discussed by the Croatian Defense and National Security Councils.
According to him, the military buildup Serbia's is "an extraordinary process, almost a shopping mania around the world", which he said raises the question of why Belgrade is arming itself to such an extent.
Plenkovic stressed that as a member of the EU and NATO, Croatia is taking measures to ensure its security and has tripled its defense budget over the past decade. He said that the capabilities being developed by the country "do not pose a threat to anyone", but have a deterrent function to prevent a repeat of the aggression of the 1990s.
The Croatian prime minister indicated that Zagreb is discussing Serbia's military strengthening with all its partners, who he said are aware of the developments in the situation.