ZAGREB, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Visiting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with Croatian top leaders and praised Croatia's contributions to NATO here on Monday.

Stoltenberg and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic discussed issues between Croatia and NATO, as well as relations between southeast Europe."We are grateful for Croatia's important role in NATO, you contribute to our shared security, to our collective defence," Stoltenberg said.

After the meeting, Plenkovic told reporters that Croatia has been a reliable partner of NATO for nine years and stressed that it has increased the allocations for the military alliance. Croatia currently allocates 1.3 percent of the state's budget to the army.

Stoltenberg also met with Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic and Defence Minister Damir Krsticevic later on Monday. Enditem