President Milanović Presents Officer’s Daggers and Decorations to Retired Croatian Army Officers
“Nearly all of you actively participated in the Croatian Homeland War, fought and commanded, and those who did not, retired after having held the highest offices. Most of you were colonels, people who carried out their tasks and their duty to Croatia with honour, as the name and notion itself suggest (časnik = officer; čast = honour)“, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović told the retired senior officers of the Croatian Armed Forces at a ceremony held on the occasion of their retirement.
“Today you will symbolically receive an officer’s dagger, some will receive a decoration, as a bond tying you to the Croatian Army. I believe that you are pleased with what you have accomplished in the Croatian Army, but first and foremost that you are content and fulfilled“, President Milanović stated in his address, wishing the retired senior officers of the Croatian Armed Forces all the best in the days and years ahead.
After completing their honourable and exemplary service to the Croatian Armed Forces, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces decorated one general, colonels and captains (N) who retired in 2025, and presented officer’s daggers as a token of appreciation for their lifelong commitment to the military service.
For extraordinary services to the Republic of Croatia in war and in exceptional circumstances in peace, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces presented the Order of the Croatian Trefoil to Colonel Mira Mićić and Colonel Igor Tabulov-Truta.
The Order of the Croatian Interlace is presented for extraordinary contribution to the development and standing of the Republic of Croatia and the well-being of its citizens to Colonels Petar Čiš, Robert Jurković and Davor Kopanji. For honourable and exemplary service, the Homeland Gratitude Memorial Medal is presented to Colonel Mario Gjurić. The Homeland Gratitude Memorial Medal is presented to Colonel Nenad Samardžić for honourable and exemplary service on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Croatian Army Day.
Officer’s daggers for honourable and exemplary service, dedicated exercise of duty, successful cooperation, mutual work and personal contribution to the creation and development of the Croatian Armed Forces are presented to a total of 37 retired senior officers: Major General Michael Križanec, Colonels Zdenko Boban, Petar Čiš, Vlado Čulina, Mario Dadić, Mario Gjurić, Krešimir Grozdanović, Mate Gudelj, Dražen Jonjić, Robert Jurković, Mladen Kapustić, Stjepan König, Davor Kopanji, Slobodan Kratohvil, Asja Madunić, Igor Mandarić, Mira Mićić, Mario Miloš, Radovan Palmović, Vlado Pavlović, Zoran Pećušak, Davorka Perić, Zoran Pervan, Milan Posel, Vladimir Požgajčić, Darko Puklavec, Dragutin Remenar, Nenad Samardžić, Nediljko Sirić, Mira Skukan, Igor Šipušić, Igor Tabulov-Truta, Tihomir Zajec, and captains (N) Neven Katić, Nadan Petri, Joško Šantić and Vlade Zoko.
Major General Michael Križanec, former Croatian Air Force Commander, gave a thank you speech for the decorations and officer’s daggers on behalf of the retired senior officers of the Croatian Armed Forces: “I am grateful and honoured to stand before such an echelon of combatants, people who defended this state, I who did not, and therefore it is a burden and responsibility to speak in their name”, retired Major General Križanec stated.
“All of us who stand here before you should be grateful for having had the honour and the chance to wear the uniform of the Croatian Army”, he stated, and thanked family members, colleagues, subordinates and superiors with whom they served and those who led them in their careers. “We pledge that we will continue to be worthy of this uniform and ranks, decorations and everything that this uniform meant to us and to this people that we served,” retired Major General Križanec stated, adding that they will always remember all the good and bad things that happened to them in their careers and made them the people they are and “that we will remember with special reverence all the colleagues we had and lost, and especially those colleagues who remain behind us in the system to continue building it”.
Attending the ceremony in the Office of the President of the Republic were the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Tihomir Kundid, Director of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Major General Denis Tretinjak, Commander of the Croatian Army Major General Blaž Beretin, Commander of the Croatian Navy Commodore Damir Dojkić and Commander of the “Dr. Franjo Tuđman” Croatian Defense Academy Major General Slaven Zdilar.
Alongside the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces were the Head of the Cabinet of the President of the Republic Bartol Šimunić, the Adviser to the President for Defense Ivica Olujić, the Adviser to the President for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković, the Head of the Cabinet of Defense and National Security Colonel Franjo Hrala, the Secretary of the Cabinet of Defense and National Security of the Office of the President Siniša Marić and the Staff officer for operational support of the Cabinet of Defense and National Security of the Office of the President Major Sanela Lažeta.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas, Dario Andrišek