by croatiaweek
August 27, 2025
in
(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia/Tomislav Bušljeta)
Croatian President Zoran Milanović met today in Zagreb with Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Varsen Aghabekian, who is on an official visit to Croatia.
During talks at the Office of the President, the two discussed the ongoing situation in Gaza, which in recent months – and particularly in recent days – has been subject to heavy Israeli military attacks.
President Milanović strongly condemned the attacks on civilians and criticised the announced plan for a military occupation of Gaza, stressing that such an occupation cannot be justified under any circumstances.
As one of the constitutional co-creators of Croatia’s foreign policy, Milanović conveyed to Minister Aghabekian his belief that the only fair resolution to the conflict is the recognition of two states – Israel and Palestine.
“Croatia needs to recognise Palestine as a step towards halting the war and the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Acknowledging the Palestinian people’s right to their own state is the only path to establishing lasting peace in the Middle East,” President Milanović said during the meeting.
(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia/Tomislav Bušljeta)
He also announced that, within the framework of his constitutional powers, he would firmly advocate for Croatia to recognise Palestine as soon as possible.
Milanović called on the Croatian Government to initiate the process in Parliament to formally recognise the State of Palestine.
(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia/Tomislav Bušljeta)
Alongside Minister Aghabekian, the Palestinian delegation included Salahaldin H. M. Abdalshafi, Representative of Palestine to Croatia (based in Vienna), Adel Atieh, Director-General for Europe at the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Aghabekian’s Chief of Staff Ameed Abdalrahim, and Ihab AlGhoul, Minister-Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Palestine to International Organisations in Vienna.
(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia/Tomislav Bušljeta)
Accompanying President Milanović were Orsat Miljenić, Head of the Office of the President, Tomislav Bošnjak, Croatia’s Representative in Palestine, Bartol Šimunić, Chief of Staff to the President, Neven Pelicarić, Presidential Advisor for Foreign and European Policy, and Ivan Mutavdžić, Assistant Advisor for Foreign and European Policy.