Many expect Croatia will receive an invitation at the NATO summit in the Latvian capital Riga in November this year, but I do not know whether this will happen as the North Atlantic Alliance does not attach so much importance to time-limits but to see whether all the criteria are met, Minuto Rizzo said.
When a country meets everything it is expected to meet regarding reforms, NATO will open its door, he said during the lecture that pooled students, many diplomats and government officials.
Minuto Rizzo said Croatia had made great efforts on the road to NATO, with regard to political, economic and military reforms, cooperation with the Hague war crimes tribunal, regional cooperation, the implementation of the Membership Action Plan and other NATO programmes, and noted that Croatia was also active in peacekeeping operations.
The alliance gathers member-countries that share the same values, such as pluralism, freedom, democracy, tolerance, stability and respect for minority rights, and it is clear that Croatia wants to become part of that community, he said. The alliance defends those values when they are threatened, and therefore NATO has many peace operations, he added.
On Friday, the NATO official will be received by the Croatian foreign and defence ministers, Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic and Berislav Roncevic respectively.