The Foreign Minister, one of the wealthiest officials, will be knighted in Rome, with lobbying conducted through state and church channels, according to diplomatic sources.
Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman has received an invitation to join the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, according to diplomatic sources. The invitation was presented by the Order's Grand Master, Fra' John T. Dunlap, with the formal investiture ceremony planned for February 2027 in Rome.
Grlić Radman, often perceived by the public through a series of gaffes, would thus enter one of the world's most prestigious and influential Catholic organizations. His admission comes after intense diplomatic contacts and lobbying at multiple levels.
Grand Master Dunlap paid an official visit to Croatia on July 2, 2026. On that occasion, excellent relations between the Order and Croatia were confirmed, and Grlić Radman also raised the issue of concluding a bilateral agreement on cooperation in healthcare, social welfare, and crisis situations. Although no formal evidence exists, sources suggest that lobbying for the minister's admission went through diplomatic channels and the office of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
A key role was also played by the Croatian ambassador to the Holy See, who is simultaneously accredited to the Order of Malta, enabling daily communication with the Order's leadership in Rome. As it is a religious order, Grlić Radman also relied on connections with high-ranking Vatican officials. The mandatory recommendation from the local bishop was obtained from Archbishop Dražen Kutleša, with whom he is also related through their shared birthplace of Prisoje in the municipality of Tomislavgrad.
Although not known for personal humanitarian work, Grlić Radman has coordinated significant aid at the institutional level. During his tenure, Croatia reached a record 165 million euros annually in official development and humanitarian aid. He actively participated in demining projects in Ukraine, and through his ministry and the association "Croatia Helps," a rehabilitation program was supported for more than eight hundred Ukrainian children who lost their parents.
At international forums, he advocated for humanitarian corridors and the delivery of medicines to Gaza. Directing state funds and donations toward projects and hospitals run by the Order of Malta worldwide raised his personal standing in the eyes of the Order and positioned him as a key ally of the organization.
Grlić Radman was considered the wealthiest minister in the government. He is a co-owner of the family company Agroproteinka, which deals with the disposal and processing of animal waste, with a 20.5 percent stake. Although he holds no managerial role, last year he earned 617,285 euros from capital, and his total other income in his asset declaration exceeds 724,000 euros. His wealth was already the subject of a scandal when the Commission for the Prevention of Conflicts of Interest discovered that he had failed to report a dividend, prompting opposition calls for his resignation. Prime Minister Plenković then protected him but publicly reprimanded him for lack of transparency.
By joining the Order of Malta, Grlić Radman will become the second holder of a high church title among laypeople in the current HDZ government, following his party colleague Željko Reiner, a knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Previous members of the Order of Malta from Croatia include Cardinal Josip Bozanić, former Foreign Minister Miomir Žužul, and Count Jakob Eltz Vukovarski.
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta is a religious order and a religious institute of the Catholic Church, descended from the Knights Hospitaller in 1530. It has been based in Rome since 1834. According to the Croatian Encyclopedia, the Order has diplomatic relations with 107 states and the European Union, is a permanent observer at the UN, and operates charitably in 120 countries. It has more than 13,500 members in six grand priories and 47 national associations. It possesses its own judiciary, postage stamps, and currency. Its diplomatic representation in Zagreb, at Strossmayer Square 8, has been operating since 1992.
