President Milanović Attends Commemoration Marking 30th Anniversary of Military and Police Operation “Flash” in Okučani
The President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović attended a commemoration marking the 30th anniversary of the Military and Police Operation “Flash” in Okučani.
The President of the Republic and his delegation laid a wreath and lit a candle at the “Kristalna kocka vedrine” [Crystal Cube of Serenity] memorial in Dr. Franjo Tuđman square. Following the wreath-laying ceremony, the names of the defenders killed in the Military and Police Operation “Flash” and the history of Operation “Flash” were read. Mrs. Nada Hegedić, mother of Croatian defender Davor Hegedić killed in Operation “Flash”, addressed the gathering. Msgr. Ilija Jakovljević, vicar general in the Military Ordinariate, said a prayer for the Croatian defenders who lost their lives.
Taking part in the delegation of the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces in the wreath-laying ceremony were the following: the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Lieutenant General, Tihomir Kundid; the Director of the General Staff of the CAF, Major General Denis Tretinjak; the Commander of the Croatian Army, Major General Blaž Beretin; the Head of the J-2 Directorate, Brigadier General Mijo Validžić; the Commander of the Operations Command Centre of the General Staff of the CAF, Brigadier General Željko Ljubas; and the Adviser to the President for Defence, Ivica Olujić; the Adviser to the President for Homeland War Veterans, Marijan Mareković; and the Head of the Military Office of the Cabinet for Defence and National Security of the Office of the President, Brigadir General Ivica Kranjčević.
In addition to the wreath of the President of the Republic, at the “Crystal Cube of Serenity” memorial, wreaths were laid by family members of fallen Croatian defenders and those who died as a result of injuries sustained by participants in the Military and Police Operation “Flash”, who were joined by wartime commanders of units that participated in Operation “Flash” and representatives of associations from the Homeland War, as well as delegations of the Croatian Parliament, the Government of the Republic of Croatia and representatives of counties, cities and municipalities.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta