President Milanović Attends Commemoration of 30th Anniversary of Operation “Orkan“ that Liberated Largest Part of Western Slavonia
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the launch of the military operation “Orkan”, namely the beginning of the liberation of western Slavonia, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović paid tribute to the fallen Croatian defenders at the Trokut-Novska Memorial.
The military operation “Orkan” commenced on 29 October 1991 signalling the first significant victory of the Croatian army in the Homeland War, which liberated the largest part of western Slavonia. In his address at the commemoration honouring the memory of the Croatian defenders that perished during the liberation, President Milanović stated that thirty years after these decisive days of recent Croatian history things have become clearer. “It’s like this early morning fog is dissipating, the curtain that covered the eyes of many in the past twenty years. What we are saying today, we are saying for the sake of our sons and daughters, our grandchildren, so that the role and importance of the Croatian defenders is not forgotten. And to convey the following message: Croatia shall not, cannot and must not forget you. She would be damned by history and our own souls if she did so”, President Milanović stated.
Speaking about the operation that liberated the largest part of western Slavonia and prevented plans to split Slavonia, President Milanović noted the lack of equipment and the large number of Croatian defenders killed. “The operation was launched with one or two combat sets in the equipment of those who fought on the front line, who were the bravest and whose lives were in danger. Three hundred and fifteen were killed – that’s a huge number. The casualties aren’t greater thanks to the intelligence and knowledge invested in the operation, your commanders of the time carried out their duty of professional commanders and soldiers in two ways: both as good organizers and as cautious and smart people aware of what was available and of the good and the damage they can do. Those are among the most difficult and challenging roles in which Croatian people found themselves in past decades”, President Milanović underlined.
He added that the operation began the day after the largest quantity of equipment and ammunition were returned to the Croatian authorities in Delnice. “This is a unique example of Croatian harmony and organization, and the beginning of something that Croatia then welcomed with certain disbelief because Vukovar fell two weeks later. What you accomplished here renewed the faith and enthusiasm of the Croatian people, of those who participated and of us who watched it from the comfort and safety of Zagreb, which was the great majority of Croatian people. And that small number of Croatian people, that small number of good, right people secured Croatia’s defense”, the President remarked.
President Milanović also talked about military decorations, saying that as President and Commander in Chief he cannot institute decorations. “This is done by legislation. Two years ago my predecessor initiated it in good faith, and I am sure that Minister Medved and the Government are making every effort to bring it to fruition. I am aware of technical problems that exist”, the President stated. He added that every liberating operation deserves to be highlighted on its own and observed with a medal. “We have to consider it carefully and see to it that no one is resentful, omitted or bitter after it is done. I am confident that we shall do it because it is something minor that can be done”, he said.
“We build big things by ourselves. We are in the European Union, we struggle with problems that are incomparably smaller and simpler than what a small group of young people had to do for Croatia thirty years ago. Our current problems are slight in relation to those of thirty years ago. How will things be thirty years from now, will we remember? This is a debt of gratitude of the Croatian people, the Croatian nation and all that which unites us, because neither blood, nor soil, nor a joint past binds us. A common spirit joins us, in the hardest of times that spirit was never evil, but good, holy. Croatia shall never forget you, you were faithful to the homeland, and we shall remain faithful to the homeland”, President Milanović said in concluding his address.
Speaking at the commemoration at the Trokut-Novska Memorial besides President Milanović was the wartime commander Rudi Stipčić, the Minister of Croatian Defenders and Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister’s envoy Tomo Medved, and Sisak-Moslavina County Prefect and envoy of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Ivan Celjak. Accompanying President Milanović was his Special Adviser for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan