Croatian Defence Ministry

Zagreb – A US-registered Beechcraft Bonanza civilian aircraft flying from Greece to Slovenia was intercepted by two Croatian MiG-21 fighter jets as it entered the Croatian airspace on Monday. The aircraft continued its flight to the destination after it had been established that it could not make contact with flight control as its avionics had failed.

The Croatian Defence Ministry held a press conference on Tuesday to address public concerns after the fifth death of a Croatian soldier in recent weeks was reported on Monday.

Officials said that each case was unique and that the deaths, of which four were suicides, did not happen in military barracks or while they were on active service.

The Croatian Defence Ministry said on Monday that a military helicopter had crashed into the Adriatic Sea that morning, killing the pilot.

It said the air force OH-58 D Kiowa helicopter crashed between the island of Zlarin and the coastal town of Zablace near Sibenik. The pilot was confirmed dead while the search for the second crew member was ongoing.

Romania and Croatia said on Tuesday that they have joined other NATO countries in withdrawing military personnel from Iraq following the Baghdad parliament's call for foreign troops to leave the country in reaction to the US killing of a top Iranian general near the Iraqi capital on January 4.

One Croatian soldier has died and two others have been injured after a suicide bomber slammed his motorcycle into a vehicle they were travelling in near a NATO military base on the outskirts of Kabul in Afghanistan, the Croatian Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.

The US embassy in Zagreb told BIRN on Wednesday that, although the US Government does not generally comment on allies' arms procurements, Washington strongly supports Croatia's modernization of its defence system, including the purchase of F-16 jets from Israel.

"The US government has given permission to the state of Israel to offer the Israeli F-16 to Croatia, and we have that document. Israel is obliged to deliver a NATO-compatible aircraft to Croatia ...  and delivery is also the responsibility of the state of Israel," Krsticevic said.

Defence ministries in Montenegro and Croatia have hinted that they might be close to resolving their long-running dispute over Jadran, a Yugoslav ship which is currently part of the Montenegrin naval fleet based in the port of Tivat, but is also claimed by Croatia.

Joint military exercise strengthens Balkan armies

Participating countries said the exercise increases regional co-operation and supports regional security.

Balkan militaries are participating in the Immediate Response 2014 military exercise headed by the US European Command (EUCOM) in Pocek, Slovenia.

BELGRADE - The plan of bilateral military cooperation between the Serbian Ministry of Defence and the Croatian Defence Ministry for the year of 2014 was signed in Belgrade on Friday.