Assistant Defence Minister Igor Pokaz said that the visit came at a time of major reforms in the Croatian Armed Forces, following the completion of the Strategic Defence Review and the adoption of the Long-Term Defence Plan for 2006-2015 by the Croatian Parliament.
"The impact of the reforms will be seen in the work of the 91st Zagreb Air Force Base and the 3rd Guards Armoured Mechanised Brigade," he said.
Croatia, like the other 24 signatories to the Vienna Document, is obliged to arrange visits to its air bases, military facilities and units, and allow the monitoring of certain military activities.
Assistant Foreign Minister Pjer Simunovic said that Croatia attached great importance to such inspections, evaluation visits and exchanges of information in line with the Vienna Document.
"Croatia has contributed to stability and security in the broad context of implementation of the Vienna Document by signatory states, taking account of transparency as an important factor of mutual trust and security. In that regard, it has made available all key information relating to its military activities. During its membership, Croatia has completed about 100 different activities and received 35 inspections," Simunovic said.
The Defence Ministry says that each of the 56 OSCE member states and signatories to the Vienna Document having operational air bases with combat aircraft and operational troops, is obliged to arrange such visits once in five years.