President Milanović at Military Exercise in Slunj: Without people, there is no Croatian Army, and without the Croatian Army, there would be no modern Croatian state

“Without people, there is no Croatian Army. Without the Croatian Army, there would be no modern Croatian state,” said the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović after observing the final joint military exercise ‘Combat Power 25’ at the “Eugen Kvaternik” Training Area near Slunj.

“I will repeat once again – the fundamental task of the Croatian Army is the defense of the homeland. Today, you demonstrated how this would be carried out, God forbid, in real circumstances—when nearly a thousand armed soldiers, supported by armour and other assets, attack a fortified enemy, which inevitably results in human losses,” President Milanović added.

“War is a terrible and costly endeavour, and military equipment is expensive. The machines behind you—worthless without you, but invaluable with you—are today at least twice as expensive as they were before the most recent wars in Ukraine following Russia’s aggression,” said President Milanović. He went on to note that wars are always such that “someone bleeds, and someone profits.” “In this environment, in the world we live in, the Croatian executive authorities—the Government and the Parliament—must ensure a steady, smart, economical, and rational supply of what is needed: what must be purchased because we do not produce it, and what we can produce so that others cannot exploit us. It is expensive, but it is essential. Without ammunition, there is no self-propelled howitzer; without thousands upon thousands of artillery shells, the entire effort is meaningless. This is the task before the Government, and it is not an easy one—even when money is available,” the President emphasized.

Congratulating the Croatian soldiers on their exemplary and expertly executed exercise, President Milanović said: “To us—and to me personally—it appeared flawless. And where it was not flawless, as must always be the case in such complex undertakings, you know it, and the commanders know it. That is precisely why exercises like this are held: to test what we can do, what we can do even better, and what needs to be improved.” He concluded: “Your primary task is the defense of the homeland. Today you demonstrated that symbolically, in the heart of Croatia, near historic Slunj, at the country’s largest military training area.”

Alongside the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces, the ‘Combat Power 25’ exercise was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ivan Anušić and Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Tihomir Kundid, who also congratulated the soldiers on their success.

The joint military exercise ‘Combat Power 25’ represents the final stage of training, confirming the ability of the Croatian Armed Forces to conduct joint operations in land, air, sea, and cyber domains. Most of the exercise took place at the “Eugen Kvaternik” Training Area near Slunj and at the naval training range “Žirje.” It involved the Croatian Army, the Croatian Navy, the Croatian Air Force, the Special Forces Command, and the Intelligence Regiment.

The exercise included operational development procedures with full force protection measures, testing tactical capabilities, and showcasing the combat effectiveness of new weapon systems. It featured the manoeuvre of a reinforced mechanized battalion in an offensive operation, with infantry and armoured units forming the manoeuvre force, supported by artillery and air assets.

Accompanying President Milanović were: Adviser to the President for Defense Ivica Olujić, Adviser to the President for National Security Dragan Lozančić, Adviser to the President for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković, and the Head of the Military Office in the Cabinet for Defense and National Security of the Office of the President, Brigadier General Ivica Kranjčević.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta