Croatia signs deal with Beretta to build Obrovac ammunition plant

Beretta Holding Obrovac ammunition factory Croatia defence industry

The Croatian government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Italy's Beretta Holding and private investor Ivan Kapetanović to establish a small‑calibre ammunition factory in the town of Obrovac. The agreement, signed in the Ban Jelačić Palace by Vice‑Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ivan Anušić, Beretta CEO Pietro Gussalli and Kapetanović, outlines a joint venture valued at roughly €125 million. Beretta will receive a 50 % stake plus one share, while the remaining ownership will be split between the Croatian state and the private investor.

Construction is slated to begin in 2029, with the plant expected to start operations by mid‑year. Officials say the project will bolster Croatia’s defence capabilities, create jobs in the Zadar region and deepen the country’s defence‑industry base. The memorandum is presented as part of broader reforms aimed at meeting OECD accession requirements and strengthening state‑owned enterprises. In the same cabinet meeting, the government reallocated €27 million from the 2026 budget to aid Ukrainian displaced persons and approved €39 million for an AI‑Factories initiative.

Entities: Andrej Plenković · Beretta Holding · Gordan Grlić Radman · Ivan Anušić · Ivan Kapetanović · Josip Varvodić · Obrovac

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 4 SOURCES] Vice‑Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ivan Anušić, Beretta CEO Pietro Gussalli and investor Ivan Kapetanović signed the memorandum in the Ban Jelačić Palace. (All articles)
[○ 1 SOURCE] The cabinet reallocated €27 million from the 2026 budget for Ukrainian displaced persons and approved €39 million for an AI‑Factories project. (Only article 41d2fbd5‑e3a7‑4bb2‑bd12‑e92cdd392e6b)
[● 8 SOURCES] The Croatian government signed a memorandum of understanding with Beretta Holding and investor Ivan Kapetanović to build a small‑calibre ammunition factory in Obrovac. (All articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] The deal is part of reforms required for Croatia’s pending OECD membership, including changes to state‑owned enterprises. (Articles 293ac2e9‑da35‑4964‑bb62‑5e222f84f5e2, f09109f7‑4b8a‑4956‑a116‑ec9a85b0d74d, a454be56‑6e3e‑4a94‑9fd1‑1f2ee749c1b)
[● 3 SOURCES] Beretta will hold 50 % of the new venture plus one share, with the remainder split between the Croatian state and investor Ivan Kapetanović. (All articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] The project investment is valued at about €125 million. (All articles)
[● 2 SOURCES] Construction of the plant is planned to start in 2029, with operations beginning by mid‑2029. (All articles)
[● 3 SOURCES] The project aims to strengthen Croatia’s defence capabilities and create jobs in the Zadar region. (All articles)