Controversy surrounds Croatian foreign minister's awkward kiss attempt at EU summit

Croatian foreign minister Gordan Grlic Radman stirred up controversy on Friday, when he made an awkward attempt to kiss his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, during a group photo session in Berlin. (AFP image)

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In the viral video, 65-year-old Radman is seen extending his hand for a handshake with Baerbock before the said attempt during the photo session at the conference in Berlin. (AFP image)

​In the uncomfortable encounter, the German foreign affairs minister, Annalena Baerbock, as seen in the video, avoided his unexpected display of affection. Baerbock immediately turned her head and there was only cheek-to-cheek contact.
(AFP image)

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Radman's gesture sparked a heated online debate and led to strong reactions from several feminist organizations. Many users shared their opinions on the incident, and also openly expressed their discontent on 'X'. (AP image)

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However, the Croatian minister dismissed the criticism, describing it as "a warm human approach to a fellow colleague". "I don't know what the problem was. We always greet each other warmly," he said. (Image: Twitter)

A prominent women's rights activist from Croatia, Rada Boric, openly criticised Radman's gesture. She strongly labeled his actions as "highly inappropriate". "It's clear that such a relationship doesn't exist here and that the (German) minister was left surprised with such closeness," Boric said. (Image: Twitter)

Former Croatian PM Jadranka Kosor also expressed her disapproval on her official social media account. She emphasized the importance of consent and personal boundaries, stating that any form of uninvited physical contact should be regarded as a violation. (Image: Twitter)

The conference, themed 'A larger, stronger Union – making the European Union fit for enlargement and future members fit for accession', brought together foreign ministers from EU member states, ten aspiring member countries, and representatives from EU institutions, academia, and civil society. (AFP image)