President Milanović at unveiling of monument to General Petar Stipetić: Every state needs such individuals and patriots, every nation is proud of them

“I thank those who made this possible because effort, organization and money are needed for this undertaking. I greet Petar Stipetić’s fellow combattants, Croatian defenders, officers, NCOs, soldiers, their families and the families of the fallen Croatian heroes. And one of them was Pero”, the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović stated today in Ogulin at the unveiling of the bust of General Petar Stipetić.

In his address President Milanović described General Petar Stipetić as a special person who radiated with a special energy. “He could be rude, rub politicians the wrong way without even being aware of it. He was an important person during the entire course of the war. He will be remembered in the collective memory of the Croatian people, our public as the one who enabled the surrender of the corps of the hostile Serbian Krajina army. However, Pero was important during the whole war”, he noted.

Speaking of the part General Stipetić played in the 1991-1995 Homeland War, President Milanović highlighted his role in the Posavina region in 1992. “Posavina was a defeat, a defeat we were still ready to attribute to some kind of betrayal in the fog we are still living in today. Perhaps the enemy was more powerful, better equipped at that time, but not later. Then Pero along with Tuđman, Šušak, Šarinić, Mesić, Manolić – people who subsequently went their separate ways, but were on the Croatian side at that time – Čermak and Tus sat and discussed the matter at meetings of the National Security Council, and learned a lesson both as a person and as a soldier”, President Milanović said, adding that General Stipetić was never treated gentlemanly but was illegally and unfairly forced into retirement”.

“We will remember Pero, your and our presence here speaks of how an important and dear person he was. We miss you Pero. Every state needs such individuals and patriots. Every nation is proud of them, as well as your Ogulin, your fellow citizens from Ogulin. May you rest in peace in your Croatian land and glory to you”, President MIlanović said in concluding his address.

Also speaking on the life and work of late General Petar Stipetić in addition to President Milanović were the Mayor of Ogulin Dalibor Domitrović, the Aide-de-camp, close associate of General Stipetić and one of the principal initiators of the bust Miroslav Vidović, State Secretary in the Ministry of Croatian Veterans’ Affairs and delegate of the Prime Minister and of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans’ Affairs Špiro Janović, and Member of the Croatian Parliament and delegate of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Marija Jelkovac.

The bust of General Petar Stipetić was unveiled on the eve of the fifth anniversary of his death, and erected by the town of Ogulin and friends of the late general spearheaded by Miroslav Vidović, his close associate. The bust was sculpted by professional sculptor Slaven Miličević and was officially unveiled by the daughter of the late general Vesna Stipetić.

In Croatian patriots square in Ogulin the President of the Republic laid a wreath and lit a candle at the monument to Croatian Homeland War defenders. Attending the ceremony with President Milanović was the Special Adviser to the President for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković.

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