President Milanović at “Thunders” Anniversary: Only by Our Will and Strength Can We Achieve Great Goals
The President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović attended tonight the 35th anniversary ceremony marking the formation of the 2nd Guards Brigade “Thunders”.
“The Croatian Army, at all times, wherever it is, wherever it fights if necessary, must be commanded by our people who have sworn an oath to the Croatian flag and the Croatian Constitution. We must cooperate together with our allies of all kinds in a smooth, fair and honest manner, but only by our will, decisions and strength can we achieve great goals, as we have learned in our history,” said the President and emphasized that the Croatian people is unique in the EU because of what it went through 35 years ago.
“This image I see in front of me tonight, and oftentimes in Croatia, is unique because nowhere will you find such a gathering of mature people meeting for such an occasion – for participating in a war that they won. No one besides Bosnia and Herzegovina, in a way, has such a generation, which was forced to go to war, against their will,” said President Milanović, emphasizing how Croatia has a unique history among European states because of this.
“Croatia has had a special history in the last 35 years. We entered the European Union with a special pain, without anyone’s help. Our current allies hindered us more than they helped us. These are facts, but they cannot be a reason to be bitter toward anyone, to hate anyone or to be depressed about it. However, these are facts,” added President Milanović and once again emphasized how today “we decide upon our own destiny, our own army, our own actions, or the absence of them, having only Croatian interests in mind.”
Apart from President Milanović, the President of the 2nd Guards Brigade “Thunders” Veterans’ Association Nenad Bužanić, State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and envoy of the Minister of Defence Drago Matanović, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans’ Affairs and envoy of the Prime Minister Tomo Medved, as well as Member of Parliament and envoy of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Ante Deur made an address at the 35th anniversary ceremony marking the formation of the 2nd Guards Brigade “Thunders”. President Milanović was accompanied by the Head of the Office of the President Orsat Miljenić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić