President Milanović Receives Delegation of Association of Croatian Homeland War Defenders of 101st Brigade ZNG – Croatian Army, Zagreb – Susedgrad

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović received a delegation of the Association of Croatian Homeland War Defenders of the 101^st Brigade of the Croatian National Guard – Croatian Army, Zagreb – Susedgrad. The meeting was held on the occasion of the upcoming 30^th anniversary of the foundation of the 101^st Brigade in June.

The Association president, retired First Lieutenant Sergije Dražić, acquainted President Milanović with the activities and projects of this defenders’ association as well as with preparations that are under way to mark the 30^th anniversary of the foundation of this brigade to which the President has been invited. As one of the major activities of the Association, Dražić underlined the participation of its members in teaching the facts about the Homeland War to the youth. The Association also presented its idea about making a promotional video as their contribution to the normalization of relations between the countries of the region.     

Members of the Association, all retired officers, informed President Milanović of the 101^st Brigade’s service and deployment during the Homeland War initially in the area of Pokuplje and Banovina, then in western and eastern Slavonia, as well as its participation in Operation Storm. At the meeting it was noted that In ten years of action, 7,225 members served in the brigade, 49 were killed, 211 wounded, and to this day the body of one of them has still not been recovered.

In the delegation of the Association of Croatian Homeland War Defenders of the 101^st brigade of the Croatian National Guard in addition to Association president Sergije Dražić were: Association member retired Lieutenant Colonel Ivica Hrnčić, Disciplinary Commission member retired Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Cukina, Association member retired Lieutenant Colonel Faruk Čerimagić, Disciplinary Commission chairman retired Major Stjepan Bratković, Association member retired Captain Tomislav Pavić, Association vice-president and Management Board vice-president retired Lieutenant Colonel Ahmet Puškar and member of the Association’s Management Board Željko Pulek.

Attending the meeting alongside President Milanović was the Special Adviser of the President of the Republic for Homeland War Veterans retired Lieutenant General Marijan Mareković.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek