President Milanović Presents Officer’s Daggers to Retired Croatian Army Officers and Tells them: Loyalty, Partnership and Alliance, but Above All Croatian Homeland and its Security
During a ceremony in the Office of the President, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović presented officer’s daggers and certificates of appreciation to retired generals, admirals, colonels and captains (N) of the Croatian Armed Forces.
Expressing thanks for their service and loyalty to the homeland, President Milanović told the retired senior officers of the Croatian Army who are leaving for their well-deserved retirement, but won’t be inactive. “Soldiers are people who never stop or rest. There is always some challenge, because the military calling is a calling, it demands a complete person, one who is ready to sacrifice their life in extreme conditions. There is nothing more sublime than that”, he stated.
“I express deep gratitude, in a human and dutiful sense, for your service to Croatia, you put your hearts, your knowledge and your heads to it at a time that was historical, in events never experienced by any nation in Europe except the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and today to a greater extent and horror, Ukraine”, President Milanović stated, adding that the times are difficult and unexpected.
“Your main task and ours, the oath that is written in the Croatian constitution is to defend the homeland. There is nothing more sublime. Loyalty, partnership, alliance, but above all and after all – the Croatian homeland, its borders and security. A small country and small nations must realize that their obligation is equal to that of large nations, but at the end of the day we have to take care of ourselves. And in this sense, with this thought, goal and understanding in mind, I work and will act, I will expect all Croatian soldiers, officers, generals and admirals to carry out their tasks”, President Milanović said in concluding his address.
Officer’s daggers and certificates of appreciation were presented to sixty senior officers of the Croatian Armed Forces: General Mirko Šundov, Major general Dražen Ščuri, Brigadier general Željko Dadić, Brigadier general Ivica Komljen, Captain (N) Mario Badrov, Colonel Veseli Balić, Colonel Slobodan Bandalo, Colonel Dražen Bartolac, Colonel Željko Belić, Colonel Branko Bešenić, Colonel Drago Blažević, Captain (N) Vatroslav Carev, Colonel Jasmina Čaušević, Colonel Boris Ćaleta-Car, Colonel Tomislav Filjak, Colonel Čedomir Grgurić, Colonel Dragan Hodak, Colonel Jerko Ivanković, Colonel Jadranko Jambrec, Colonel Davorko Jokić, Colonel Veseljko Kardum, Captain (N) Boris Katičin, Colonel Neven Klarić, Colonel Goran Kovačić, Colonel Jasenko Krovinović, Colonel Stjepan Kužir, Colonel Matija Lešnjaković, Captain (N) Jerko Letica, Captain (N) Ivica Mandić, Colonel Ivica Matanović, Colonel Alojz Matijašić, Colonel Bosiljko Mijatović, Colonel Vjekoslav Milković, Colonel Ferdo Mišulin, Captain (N) Marinko Moćan, Colonel Marinko Nekić, Colonel Goran Novoselić, Colonel Predrag Omrčen, Captain (N) Jozo Pandžić, Colonel Damir Perak, Captain (N) Drago Perić, Colonel Simon Petrišić, Colonel Branko Plazanić, Captain (N) Ante Pletikosić, Colonel Davor Pohovski, Colonel Goran Poljančić, Colonel Dragan Pondeljak, Colonel Darko Skuliber, Colonel Zdenko Sokić, Colonel Vladimir Štimac, Colonel Tihomir Tandarić, Colonel Pavao Tokić, Colonel Snježana Tomić, Colonel Ivica Vidović, Colonel Ante Višević, Colonel Rudolf Vučić, Colonel Darko Vukosavić, Captain (N) Ivan Vuković, Colonel Goran Wagner and Colonel Anto Zelić.
Delivering a thank you speech on behalf of the retired senior officers of the Croatian Armed Forces was General Mirko Šundov who stated that they are a generation that participated in the Homeland War and the postwar development of the Croatian Army. He said that lately we are witnessing a complex international situation, but is confident that a ceasefire will be reached, the fighting in Ukraine will end, and a peaceful resolution will be found. “In this sense, it is certainly important to show political unity, both on the national level and within the alliances of which we are members, namely NATO and the European Union”, he added.
“I believe that each one of us who has retired, especially today, is in a certain way paying our dues to our families. We are involved in various activities and I am certain that we confirm your statement that soldiers do not retire, they are always active. I believe that in this group of people there is huge capital in terms of know-how and capabilities. We remain at the disposition of our state, its institutions, and I am certain that we will continue to contribute our know-how and skills. And should need be, I believe that all of us as one would once again put ourselves at the service of the homeland and its defense”, retired General Mirko Šundov stated.
In addition to the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Admiral Robert Hranj, who presented officer’s daggers and certificates of appreciation to the retired senior officers of the Croatian Armed Forces together with the President of the Republic, attending the ceremony in the Office of the President were the Military Ordinary in the Republic of Croatia Msgr Jure Bogdan, Commander of the Support Command Lieutenant general Mladen Fuzul, Commander of the Croatian Navy Rear admiral Ivo Raffanelli, Deputy commander of the Croatian Ground Forces Major general Tihomir Kundid, Deputy commander of the Dr. Franjo Tuđman Defense Academy Brigadier general Blaž Beretin, Head of the Personnel Department of the General Staff of the CAF RH Brigadier general Ivan Zelić, Head of Operations of the GS of the CAF Brigadier general Senad Fejzić, Head of the Communications and Information Service Brigadier general Ante Tolić, Special Forces Commander Colonel Ivan Miloš, Head of the General Staff – Deputy commander of the Croatian Air Force Colonel Marinko Galović and Deputy Head of the Logistics Directorate of the GS of the CAF Colonel Mile Vukičević.
Alongside President Milanović were the Head of the Office of the President Orsat Miljenić, the Head of the Cabinet of the President Bartol Šimunić, the Adviser to the President for Defense and National Security Dragan Lozančić and the Special Adviser to the President for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan, Filip Glas