Asked to comment on speculation that Croatia may increase its role in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in that Asian country, Roncevic, who on Wednesday attended a celebration marking the 13th anniversary of the 66th battalion of the Croatian military police, said that in case it received the official request, Zagreb would consider this possibility. For the time being, the Croatian contingent in Afghanistan remains to consist of 50 military police officers, he added.
On Thursday, the fourth Croatian contingent will depart from Zagreb for Kabul, and the third contingent is expected to be back in Croatia on Friday. The fourth contingent will be deployed during the final preparations for the forthcoming first free elections when the security situation may be deteriorated, according to Roncevic.
Asked about the possibility for Croatia, Albania and Macedonia, as countries signatories, together with the U.S.A., to the the Adriatic Charter, to send a joint medical team to Afghanistan, Roncevic said there were some preparations for the elaboration of this idea. If the mission involves a medical corps, the Croatian parliament will have to decide on the matter, he said.