President Milanović Decorates Retired and Active Interior Ministry Members and Tells Them: In important matters, we must be firm, self-interested, and not think about what third parties say
On the occasion of Police Day, marked today, President Zoran Milanović presented retired and active members of the Ministry of the Interior (MUP) with decorations and honorary ranks. Among the recipients were former Minister of the Interior Ivan Jarnjak, former commander of the MUP Special Forces Mladen Markač, and the late commander of the Osijek police Josip Reihl-Kir, who was decorated posthumously.
Congratulating the officials of the Ministry of the Interior on Police Day, President Milanović, in his address, first congratulated those who were decorated today. “It is difficult to say that some decorations are regular and others extraordinary, because in your work there is hardly anything regular. It is an extraordinary job — in its demands, in its challenges, and in its very nature. Those who deserved this long ago are receiving it today, and that is thanks to Mr. Jarnjak,” said President Milanović.
The President also spoke about current proposals to introduce data controls in the name of security. “These are times when it has always been convenient and fitting for the powerful to strike at human rights and tell people what is good and safe for them, what is permitted and what is not. And that is always the challenge in democratic societies: freedom or security? To what extent can you — without undermining the architecture and stability of the entire building — encroach on human freedoms, and to what extent can you, and is it wise, to allow complete freedom that turns into disorder, chaos, and outright abuse?” said President Milanović, adding that this is a major issue that we will have to discuss among ourselves, because “this is not a solution that artificial intelligence — which is itself one of the challenges — can offer.”
“The impression I brought back from America, from what I saw there, is one of disarray, something I had not seen before. And in that world, in that Europe, we live. We know where we belong, what our roots are, and what the Croatian police and army fought for thirty years ago — in a war and in conditions unprecedented in Europe, because no one else was left on their own, and Croatia was almost the entire time. There is little chance that something like what Croatia went through could happen again, and we must be aware of that in order to value ourselves,” said the President.
In that sense, he emphasized that Croatia, as a member of the European Union and NATO, knows where it belongs, but that in all important, internal, and sensitive matters it will first and foremost have to consult itself, not artificial intelligence. “We cannot run these policies on autopilot. And yes, in some matters we must be firm and self-interested, without thinking about what a third party has said, because we have no other bosses here,” concluded President Milanović.
Former Minister Ivan Jarnjak was awarded the Grand Order of King Petar Krešimir IV with Sash and Star, for his exceptional contribution to the creation of war strategy and military doctrine, his role in organizing the police units of the Republic of Croatia, and his notable achievements in their leadership and command. Mladen Markač and Davorin Pavlović were awarded the Order of Duke Branimir with Ribbon, for special merit in promoting the international standing and reputation of the Republic of Croatia and its relations with other states.
The Order of Duke Domagoj with Ribbon, for demonstrated courage and heroism in the Homeland War, was awarded to Marijan Benko, Ivan Bučak, Đurica Franjo – posthumously, Ladislav Fruk – posthumously, Joško Morić, Josip Reihl-Kir – posthumously, Smiljan Reljić, Stipo Rimac, Željko Sačić and Nikola Vukošić. For acts of heroism in the Homeland War, the Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski was awarded to Ivan Babić, Ivan Jukić, Stjepan Krpičak, Marijan Tomurad and Boris Tončinić.
The Order of Ante Starčević, for contributions to the preservation and development of the Croatian state-building idea and to the establishment and construction of a sovereign Croatian state, was awarded to Borislav Ban – posthumously, Vjekoslav Brajović, Zdenko Gruškovnjak, Mile Perić, Antun Troha, Franjo Vugrinec – posthumously, Stipe Zrilić, Momir Zubović and Zdravko Židovec.
The Order of the Croatian Trefoil, for outstanding service to the Republic of Croatia during the war, was awarded to Tomislav Buterin, Tihomir Gorše, Marijan Kirin, Ivan Nađ, Joso Nekić, Đuro Matovina, Zvonko Obrovac, Đuro Rukavina, Željko Sugnetić, Zvonimir Vnučec and Ivan Žitnjak.
The Order of the Croatian Interlace, for exceptional contributions to the development and reputation of the Republic of Croatia and the well-being of its citizens, was awarded to Dako Bulić – posthumously, Ivan Marinko Čajsa, Nebojša Ćuković, Ivan Dasović, Darko Dundović, Željko Gašparović, Perica Jurič, Božo Guvo, Robert Kralj – posthumously, Zvonimir Krajačić, Ivan Lisac, Đuro Lubura, Zdenko Lugonjić, Zdravko Novak, Silvano Marić, Slavko Marić, Ivan Mrđen, Drago Petrović – posthumously, Edo Prodan – posthumously, Miroslav Puž, Zvonko Romanović – posthumously, Tomislav Stanić, Mijo Šporčić, Ivan Štajduhar, Đeno Štimac, Marinko Trošelj and Siniša Žarković.
The Homeland War Memorial Medal, for participation in the Homeland War, was awarded to Petar Fatorić – posthumously, Branko Kijurko and Ljubica Kovačević Ćorković.
For outstanding service in the Homeland War, the President of the Republic awarded Željko Sačić and Slavko Butorac the honorary rank of Brigadier General.
President Milanović also decorated active police officers of the Ministry of the Interior as well as seven police stations. The Order of Duke Domagoj with Ribbon, for demonstrated courage and heroism in the Homeland War, was awarded to Denis Herceg and Stjepan Milković. The Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski, for a heroic act in the Homeland War, was awarded to Veljko Štriga.
In addition, the Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski, for the heroism shown by their members in the Homeland War, was awarded by the President of the Republic to the Dubrovnik Police Station, the Đakovo Police Station, the Hrvatska Kostajnica Border Police Station, the Nova Gradiška Police Station, the Slatina Police Station, the Slunj Police Station and the Valpovo Police Station.
The Order of the Croatian Trefoil, for special services performed for the Republic of Croatia during the war, in direct war danger, and in exceptional circumstances in peace, was awarded to Dragan Zovko, and the Order of the Croatian Interlace, for exceptional contributions to the development and reputation of the Republic of Croatia and the well-being of its citizens, was awarded to Ivica Porubić.
On the occasion of Police Day, the President of the Republic, on the basis of his constitutional and legal authority, issued Decisions on the award of decorations, by which, for participation in the Homeland War, the Homeland War Memorial Medal was awarded to 48 police officers of the Ministry of the Interior, and for honourable and exemplary service, the Homeland Gratitude Memorial Medal was awarded to 151 police officers of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia.
In addition to President Milanović, Police Day was also marked with congratulations from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia, Davor Božinović.
“Today we mainly reflected on the past year, and we rewarded many police officers who showed exceptional courage this year. We presented data that can be very encouraging when we talk about the efficiency of the Croatian police. For the fifth year in a row, it has maintained an average crime-solving rate of more than 70 percent, which is among the highest in Europe and beyond. By many measures, we are doing a very good job. However, we are aware of the challenges we face, especially those of a new era, such as the impact of social networks. We gave this special emphasis today, because it is clear to us that we will have to deal appropriately with these risks to the safety of our citizens, our guests, and above all our children, when it comes to social networks, in the period ahead,” said Minister Božinović, concluding: “We are here on this occasion to thank all those who laid the foundations of the Croatian police, including the many veterans who came from its ranks.”
On behalf of the decorated officials of the Ministry of the Interior, former Minister of the Interior Ivan Jarnjak expressed his gratitude. “Thank you for this recognition! It means a great deal to us. It means a lot because in this way we still feel worthy of what we created in the Homeland War,” said Mr. Jarnjak, recalling that 760 members of the Ministry of the Interior were killed in the Homeland War, and that 20 are still listed as missing. “That is a very large number! No police force in the world has fought a war. At the beginning of the war, the police were the only armed and organized force — unprepared, physically and mentally, for waging war. And that is why we suffered more casualties at the very beginning,” said the wartime Minister of the Interior.
“I led the people I am proud of. I am proud of you as people, as police officers, as warriors, and today as retirees who were gladdened by this decoration. I urge all of you not to stop here. There are still many people who deserve it, who are not with us today, who have not received decorations but earned them through their work, and who should receive them,” concluded Mr. Jarnjak.
In addition to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović, the ceremony marking Police Day and the awarding of decorations at the Office of the President of the Republic was attended by the envoy of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, MP Ante Deur; the envoy of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans, State Secretary at the Ministry of Croatian Veterans Zlatan Bašić; Deputy Director of the Security and Intelligence Agency Hrvoje Omrčanin; Head of the Office of the National Security Council Valentino Franjić; Chief Fire Commander Slavko Tucaković; Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Tihomir Kundid; Commander of the Croatian Army Major General Blaž Beretin; Commander of the Dr. Franjo Tuđman Croatian Defense Academy Major General Slaven Zdilar; Commander of the Operations Command Brigadier General Željko Ljubas; Vicar General and envoy of the Military Bishop Mons. Ilija Jakovljević; officials of the Ministry of the Interior; former Ministers of the Interior; Director General of the Police Nikola Milina, together with members of the Collegium of the Director General of the Police and heads of police departments; former Directors General of the Police; Croatian veterans and representatives of associations stemming from the Homeland War; as well as the organizers and winners of the “Shield of the Homeland 2025” competition for the fittest police officers.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta, Anamarija Katić