Croatia's parliament speaker: Serbia buying offensive weapons should be signalled to EU

Croatia's parliament speaker Gordan Jandroković warned at a meeting of Croatian ambassadors, consuls and military attachés that Europe must strengthen its own security and the European pillar of NATO as the global order shifts — and he singled out neighbouring Serbia for acquiring offensive weapons.

Jandroković said that the arming of the region requires clear messages to Western partners: "Serbia is arming itself not only with defensive but also with offensive weapons, and that should be pointed out to our Western allies."

He argued that Zagreb needs to do more to explain developments in the Western Balkans to Western capitals, noting that some new political elites do not fully understand the former Yugoslav space or remember the Great-Serbian policies of Slobodan Milošević and the breakup of the state.

At the same time, Jandroković stressed Croatia's commitment to multilateralism, international law and the international order, while urging readiness to answer new security challenges. He insisted Europe can no longer rely for decades on the automatic backing of the United States and must bolster its own defence capacity.

Enlargement and rules for accession

The conference was attended by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, who described 2026 as a record year for EU enlargement because more chapters were opened and closed in the first eight months than in any year in the past 25. Kos said enlargement has again taken on the role of a European geopolitical stabiliser.

Kos also announced tighter rules for accession procedures and warned against hidden risks: "We must not allow a Trojan horse," she said.

Jandroković concluded that Croatia will continue to advocate for gradual progress of its southeastern neighbours towards EU membership based on merit, while simultaneously speaking plainly about regional events and flagging potential security risks.

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