Croatian Diplomacy Faces Dispute Over Ambassador Nominations

The news in Croatian

1. predsjednik  (m.)
   Osoba koja obnaša dužnost vođe države, društva ili organizacije. ↩︎
2. raspravljati
   Voditi razgovor o nekoj temi s razmjenom mišljenja. ↩︎
3. ambasador  (m.)
   Osoba koja služi kao službeni predstavnik svoje zemlje u drugoj zemlji. ↩︎
4. iskustvo  (n.)
   Zbroj znanja i vještina stečenih kroz praksu ili doživljaj. ↩︎
5. profesionalnost  (f.)
   Kvaliteta ili ponašanje koje je primjereno za stručnjaka. ↩︎
6. kritizirati
   Iznositi negativne primjedbe ili prosudbe o nekome ili nečemu. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Who is suggesting people from outside the diplomatic service for ambassador positions?

Question 2: What does the Foreign Minister want in the new ambassador candidates?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
predsjednik  (m.)	president
raspravljati	discuss
ambasador  (m.)	ambassador
iskustvo  (n.)	experience
profesionalnost  (f.)	professionalism
kritizirati	criticise

Read the full story

The recent nominations for the roles of Croatian ambassadors have sparked a significant debate between President Zoran Milanović and the Croatian government. The contention arises from a list of eight individuals proposed by the President who are considered controversial by some due to their non-traditional backgrounds.

Gordan Grlić Radman, Croatia’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, expressed concerns on Monday regarding these nominees, stating that they come “from outside the diplomatic system“. He highlighted the absence of clear criteria for their selection, particularly questioning the idea that simple proof of non-criminal history suffices for an ambassadorial position.

Grlić Radman emphasized that traditional criteria include experience, professionalism, and language proficiency. He argued that the diplomatic service is a specialized field, suggesting that the introduction of outsiders could disrupt those striving for progression within the Ministry.

On the other hand, President Milanović defended his choices, asserting that he had already accepted many of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković’s suggestions, allowing the Prime Minister to propose three-quarters of all positions. Milanović criticized the lack of agreement on the ambassador rotation as “shameful” and “pathetic”, attributing the stalemate to the government’s reticence.

Milanović expressed his belief that the nomination process was meant to be routine, yet noted that certain parties were creating unnecessary barriers and focusing on the age and background of candidates. He accused the opposite side of resisting nominations to maintain current diplomatic appointees who predate his presidency.

While acknowledging these tensions, Grlić Radman reassured that discussions have not ceased. He indicated confusion over the President’s heightened response and suspected it could be a negotiation tactic.

To media queries about non-traditional diplomat roles, Grlić Radman refrained from providing a direct answer. However, he reiterated Croatia’s commitment to refining diplomacy as a profession since gaining independence, hinting at the importance of having seasoned Croatian diplomats.

This ongoing debate signifies a broader discussion in Croatia about balancing traditional diplomatic qualifications with new perspectives, and the outcome may set a precedent for future appointments in the nation’s diplomatic corps.

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