Anti-Israel Croatian president refusing to sign off on new Israeli envoy — report

Zoran Milanović, who has accused Israel of ‘terrorism’ and said he didn’t want Israeli or Iranian ‘infections and germs’ in country, is currently feuding with his right-wing government

Croatia’s left-wing President Zoran Milanović, who holds anti-Israel views, has reportedly refused to approve the appointment of a new Israeli ambassador in Zagreb for seven months amid policy disputes with his own right-wing government.

Nissan Amdur, who was approved in November to replace Ambassador Gary Koren, will arrive after the latter’s term ends at the end of the month as a charge d’afffairs instead, which does not need the president’s approval, the Ynet news site reported on Monday.

Ynet said Milanović’s refusal to approve Amdor marks the first time a Croatian president has not accepted a foreign ambassador and is a serious breach of diplomatic protocol.

He is also refusing to approve several Croatian envoys amid his dispute with the Croatian government, the report said, including a replacement for Ambassador to Israel Vesela Mrden Korac, who has served for eight years, beyond her set term, Ynet reported.

A source familiar with the details of the issue told Ynet that the refusal to appoint ambassadors is part of an “internal dispute” between the president and the government.

“He is a problematic political figure who, in the not-so-distant past, made clearly anti-Israel and antisemitic remarks,” the source said.

The Foreign Ministry said in a response that it is working with its Croatian counterparts to “resolve the matter of the status of Israel’s next ambassador in Zagreb.”

The Croatian president feuded with Koren in March, after the Israeli ambassador told Croatia’s HINA news agency that Zagreb should investigate staff at the Iranian embassy because “there could be members of the Revolutionary Guard there with the task of gathering intelligence and supporting terrorism.”

In response, Koren was summoned to the President’s Office for a meeting over the comments, while Milanović accused the envoy of “harassment,” adding, “We don’t want other people’s infections and germs in Croatia, neither Israeli nor Iranian.”

He also accused Israel of “terrorism” in Gaza and the Middle East.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar wrote at the time on X: “The Croatian President’s offensive rhetoric is unacceptable. His hate-filled language about Israel and Zionism reflects an anti-Semitic approach.”

In February, Croatia’s Defense Minister Ivan Anusic made an official trip to Israel, where he thanked Defense Minister Israel Katz for approving an export license for the TROPHY defense system for tanks, and expressed hope the countries would deepen cooperation.

Milanović decried the visit in a statement, condemning the “unacceptable behavior of the Israeli army” and reiterating that he ordered an end to defense cooperation between the two countries.

Milanović, in office since 2020, is a member of the center-left Social Democratic Party, while the government of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković is formed by the center-right Croatian Democratic Union.