A dispute between Croatia’s president and government over whether troops should take part in France’s Bastille Day military parade escalated on June 30, exposing renewed tensions over civilian control of the armed forces and putting the country’s military leadership under pressure.

President Zoran Milanović, who serves as commander-in-chief, said he had formally ordered the Croatian Armed Forces not to participate in the July 14 parade in Paris and called for an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

“I inform you that, as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia, I have issued an Order that the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia will not participate in the military parade in Paris on July 14, 2026,” Milanović said in a letter to the prime minister released by the presidency.

He added that army chief Lieutenant General Tihomir Kundid was responsible for carrying out the order and warned that government pressure on the military leadership was undermining the chain of command.

“Threatening the command system also seriously threatens the stability of the entire defence system,” the presidency statement said.

The clash follows last week’s announcement by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ivan Anušić that Croatia’s Honour Guard Battalion would join France’s annual Bastille Day celebrations, with Zagreb presenting the move as a gesture of alliance and military cooperation.

The government rejected Milanović’s interpretation of military authority and insisted the deployment falls under the defence minister’s legal powers.

“The Chief of the General Staff has time to implement my decision, which was delivered to him today. If he does not deliver it, he will certainly lose the trust of the Prime Minister and the Government of the Republic of Croatia,” Anušić told reporters after a cabinet session, a government statement said.

Anušić said Croatia’s Defence Act clearly defines who can authorise troop participation in such ceremonial events and argued Kundid had only one lawful option.

“He has only one possible way out of this situation, and that is to respect the law,” Anušić said.

The standoff places Kundid in the middle of a constitutional dispute, with both sides effectively demanding compliance.

The latest confrontation revives a long-running power struggle between Milanović and Plenković, whose relations have frequently been marked by public insults and institutional clashes over foreign policy, military appointments and Croatia’s role in Nato and the European Union. Previous disputes have centred on ambassadorial nominations, military procurement and support for Ukraine.

The Bastille Day row intensified after Milanović accused Plenković of overstepping his authority and questioned France’s reliability as an ally, suggesting Paris had failed to support Croatia when needed.

Plenković responded by accusing the president of pursuing an isolationist agenda and undermining Croatia’s international standing.

Neither side has indicated any willingness to compromise, raising the prospect of a broader constitutional confrontation as the July 14 parade approaches.