Croatia's Defence Minister Ivan Anušić and Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman said in Tivat on Saturday that Croatia supported Montenegro on its EU path and that the Croatian government supported Croats in Montenegro and wished them a successful coexistence with Montenegrins.
The two ministers were attending an event celebrating Croatian People Day, organised by the Croatian National Council of Montenegro (HNV).
"We care about a pro-European Montenegro. We care about our neighbours. Croatia has no hidden agenda, we wish to help Montenegro," said Grlić Radman.
Anušić, speaking as the prime minister's envoy, said that "no government has been helping Croats outside Croatia like the incumbent one. We stand by you and it's not just lip service. A hand has been extended to Montenegro on its EU journey. The cultural heritage of Croats in Montenegro is great, it's simply unbelievable. That should be appreciated and protected. May the Croats here live together with the Montenegrins in prosperity."
Croatian People Day recognises that the Croatian people is native here, its centuries-long culture and tradition, and its undivided belonging to the Catholic Church, said Zvonimir Deković, president of the HNV.
Croats in Montenegro are "a fact which no longer needs to be explained to anyone," said Adrijan Vuksanović, president of the Croatian Civic Initiative party and a member of the Montenegrin parliament.
"We are not prisoners of the past. Once, it was impossible for the Croatian flag to be hoisted in Tivat and Kotor along with the Montenegrin flag. Today, it's a reality... we achieved that politically and it benefits both Croats and Montenegro. Today, we have parliamentary status. But we weren't alone before either. No Croatian government has done more for the Croatian people in Montenegro like the incumbent one. Not only have we survived, we are back on the main stage."
Grlić Radman also met with Montenegrin Foreign Minister Filip Ivanović. They discussed many outstanding issues between the two countries, he said in Kotor.
"We talked about Prevlaka, the land border is clear based on the Badinter Commission... We want to talk about the sea border and are waiting for Montenegro to appoint the commission members so we can talk about that problem," Grlić Radman told Hina.
Regarding the Jadran training ship, he said it was Croatian and that when the former Yugoslavia broke up, it was undergoing maintenance in Tivat and stayed there.
"We consider it stolen property and demand that it be returned to its main port of Split. If we can't solve this bilaterally and by agreement, we can consider involving an international tribunal."
Grlić Radman went on to say that it was unacceptable of the Kotar municipal assembly to name a sports facility after Zoran Gopčević because of the many disturbing testimonies of his treatment of Croatian prisoners in the former Morinj POW camp.
"We congratulated Montenegro on facing the past and for us, the (memorial) plaque in Morinj and its inscription are very important and we believe that... it should stay there."
Anušić cancelled Saturday's meeting with Montenegrin Defence Minister Dragan Krapović because his statements on the Morinj plaque and the ownership of the Jadran ship "are totally opposite to Croatia's positions and leave no room for talks."
Text: Hina/MVEP
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