President Milanović at 31st Anniversary of Formation of 4th Guards Brigade: without Croatian Army, without your Brigade, Croatian State would not exist
The President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović attended a formal session on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the formation of the 4th Guards Brigade.
“This place cannot have more symbolism than it does. This is not just a fortress that defended the Croatian coast, sea and culture. This is a place with a view of a small area where the seed of a nation was born – the Croatian nation”, President Milanović began his address at the Fortress of Klis where the formal session was held.
“Is it necessary to repeat that that state without the Croatian army, without your Brigade, without the small number of right and good people would not exist” President Milanović stated, saying that members of the 4th Guards Brigade fought in Croatia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He reminded that their legendary commander whose name their Brigade bears Andrija Matijaš was killed on the approaches to Banja Luka. “Here is where the war no longer was a Croatian interest, here we fought for others, this is where our people were killed, our illustrious commanders, in the final days of the war. Those who persuaded us later barely said thank you”, the President noted.
He further reminded that the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina was not ended by NATO, American and British bombing of Serbian positions. “The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, freedom and peace, the right to life was brought by the Croatian army, the Croatian ground forces, your Brigade and other brigades. I’m saying this because those years, are far behind us. You didn’t fight there on foreign territory and for foreigners, but you fought for Croatian security”, President Milanović underlined.
He mentioned that today he listened to the oath taking ceremony of young soldiers, saying it is symbolic, who were handed out red berets. “This is a symbolic oath written by someone in your name with reason and from the heart. The first or second sentence of this oath reads that you will be loyal, devoted and at the service of the Croatian nation, the entire Croatian nation. I am saying this because now is the time, although this time around not with weapons, or force, or military resources, to help our brothers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Croats. For you to help them with your authority, you who fought along with them and there are many of you, because it is the only way. They can do nothing without you, their rights are being violated, their interests neglected. If we do not help them now, we probably will not have another chance”, President Milanović stated.
“Once again I would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. And hundreds of thank yous are not sufficient to those who fought and who laid down their lives with purpose and reason, with a full heart, in the fight for a state that is now our pride as well as a means, a way, an instrument and a weapon to realize our interests. If we will not fight for our interests, no one will remember us”, President Milanović stated in concluding his address, congratulating the members of the 4th Guards Brigade on the anniversary of its formation.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek