President Milanović on Šolta: We must be extremely proud of Croatian history
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended a ceremony in Grohote on the island of Šolta marking the 30th anniversary of the defence of the city of Split, breaking of the Adriatic naval blockade and victory over the Yugoslav Navy. He laid a wreath and lit a candle at the Homeland War Victims Memorial.
In his address President Milanović expressed pleasure for coming to the island of Šolta underlining that the Croats are the only Slavic people and nation who are attached to the sea and whose identity without the sea means nothing. “Croatia is the sea, Croats are the sea. Our state was formed one kilometre from the sea, in the Kašteli, our first dukes, our dynasties developed along the sea. We have defended this sea and scarcely populated it because it was difficult, barren and rocky ground. It has been an object of malice and envy, wars were fought because of it”, the President noted.
“For the first time in history Croats have their state and state authority over almost all of the eastern Adriatic from Savudrija, the Gulf of Piran to Prevlaka peninsula”, President Milanović stated, and noted that it was ensured by the Croatian Army and the Croatian Navy in the Homeland War. “The one in World War II, made up almost entirely of Dalmatians and residents of Šolta, seized all of Istria and Trieste in four, five days in May 1945. Had it not been for them, had there not been those five days in May, Istria would not be Croatian. This is all part of Croatian history and we must be extremely proud of and happy about all of that,” President Milanović noted.
“I wish for this beautiful island to continue to be as beautiful, mystical and mysterious, and that you protect your heritage,” the President told them.
Also speaking at the ceremony besides President Milanović were the head of the Municipality of Šolta Nikola Cecić-Karuzić and retired colonel Nikola Bokšić from the Veterans Association of the Croatian Navy Split. Alongside President Milanović was his Special Adviser for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan