Addressing the Sabor, Defence Minister Berislav Roncevic said that currently 29 Croatians were deployed in the UN-led peace-keeping missions, proposing that the number should go up to 64 by the year's end.
Croatia should ensure 120 million kuna to cover costs of the deployment of its troops this year, and in the future it is expected to allocate about 10 million kuna annually for costs of the deployment in ten international missions.
Pero Kovacevic of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) warned about high risks of UN peace missions, stressing that Croatia "has nether ability nor means to transport its soldiers into missions and from missions, particularly when they may assume characteristics of a total disaster".
However, a majority of MPs think that Croatia cannot be an island and that by taking part in UN missions, it will enhance its reputation and facilitate its bids to enter the European Union and NATO.
(1 EUR =7.3 kuna)