19.05.2026 00:30
Croatian President Zoran Milanovic has announced that he will not approve the appointment of Nissan Amdur, proposed by Israel as the new ambassador to Zagreb. A statement from the presidency emphasized that the decision was made due to Israel's current policies and will not be changed. It was noted that this is the first time in the country's history that an ambassador appointment has been rejected, and Amdur can only serve in the capacity of chargé d'affaires.
A historic development that could lead to a diplomatic crisis between Croatia and Israel has occurred. Croatian President Zoran Milanovic announced that he has officially rejected the appointment of Nissan Amdur, proposed by Israel as its new Ambassador to Zagreb. According to reports in Croatian media, this is the first time in the country's history that an ambassador appointment has been denied.
REASON FOR THE REJECTION: ISRAEL'S CURRENT POLICIES
In a written statement from the Croatian Presidency, it was emphasized that President Milanovic's harsh decision stems from the current policies pursued by the Israeli government. The statement made it clear that the President will not back down from his decision, stating:
"President Milanovic will not approve this appointment due to Israel's current policies. The decision is final and will not be changed."
CAN ONLY REMAIN AS "CHARGE D'AFFAIRES"
The Presidency recalled that the term of the current Israeli Ambassador Gary Koren has ended, and announced that the newly proposed Nissan Amdur cannot serve in Croatia with the title of "ambassador." It was stated that Amdur can only conduct relations between the two countries not at the highest level, but in the lower diplomatic status of "charge d'affaires."
TENSIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES WERE ALREADY HIGH
The tension between President Zoran Milanovic and Israeli diplomats is not new. Milanovic had previously reacted strongly to the political rhetoric and statements of outgoing Ambassador Gary Koren, summoning Koren to the Presidential office to account for his actions. With this latest decision, diplomatic relations between the two countries have escalated to a new level of crisis.