President Milanović at Đuro Đaković Company: Croatia will soon have a strategic quantity of armoured fighting vehicles
“Work is progressing and in the near future Croatia will have a strategic quantity of armoured fighting vehicles, which in an unwanted war can mean the difference between life and death for those who fight, namely the infantrymen,” the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović said today after visiting the production facilities of the company Đuro Đaković Special Vehicles in Slavonski Brod, commenting on the importance of the ongoing overhaul of Bradley Fighting Vehicles.
“The owners are new, a reputable Czech corporation, and they are also the owners of a world-famous truck manufacturer. Since the Croatian Army lacks hundreds of trucks of all types, it makes sense to discuss cooperation with a renowned global company such as this one, which here in Slavonski Brod is the owner of Đuro Đaković, where Croatian armoured vehicles are overhauled and Patria (military vehicles) are manufactured,” said President Milanović, emphasizing that today he visited the company Đuro Đaković above all because of its role in the Bradley Fighting Vehicle overhaul project.
“The Bradleys were saved. At the last second, I forced Plenković to marginalize and push aside Banožić, his minister, because they wanted to throw this away. They would have ended up in Ukraine, where they are needed, but I prefer that those 90 military vehicles are in Croatia. They are great weapons, they save lives and they will cost us less than a million euros per piece. Only a crazy or irresponsible person can calculate and play with something like that,” said President Milanović after visiting the facility where Bradley Fighting Vehicles are being equipped.
During his visit to Đuro Đaković, President Milanović engaged in discussions with the management team of Đuro Đaković Special Vehicles d.d., including President Pavel Maroušek and Management Board members Goran Matanić, Danijel Marić, and Hrvoje Kekez. Additionally, he received a briefing from Željko Gavran, the trade union commissioner for the Đuro Đaković Group and Đuro Đaković Special Vehicles d.d., regarding the company’s military programme and its ongoing cooperation with the Croatian Army.
President Milanović was accompanied by Ivica Olujić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Defense.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta