Croatia’s foreign minister caused controversy at an EU ministerial meeting in Berlin on Thursday by greeting his German counterpart with a kiss, according to BBC.
Gordan Grlić-Radman first respectfully shook hands with his German counterpart German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, before leaning in slightly and kissing her.
The Croatian media reaction was negative and the Foreign Minister was criticised; women’s rights activist Rada Borić called the incident “highly inappropriate”.
Mr Grlić-Radman himself described the gesture as a “warm, human approach to a colleague,” which some perceived as “maybe an awkward moment.” He apologised “to whoever took it that way.”
Annalena Baerbock has not yet commented on the matter.
