President Milanović Calls for Serious Investment in the Croatian Navy and Inclusion of Croatian Shipyards in Corvette Construction
“Everything possible must be done – even though it becomes more difficult year after year –to ensure that Croatia preserves its shipbuilding industry, and that it finally builds naval vessels, because that is what is at stake here. Unfortunately, however, actions have not followed words,” stated the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović, today at the ceremony marking Croatian Navy Day and the 35th anniversary of the founding of the Croatian Navy.
He expressed regret that Croatia does not build its own naval vessels and does not invest sufficiently in the navy, noting: “The vessel Omiš set sail in 2019. Following that, the Umag set sail last year – and that’s it. That is everything the Croatian Navy has received in the last 11 years. To even call this insufficient is out of place. It is nothing.”
Furthermore, President Milanović warned that nothing has yet been done regarding the procurement of a corvette for the Croatian Navy. “When complex systems are acquired, the decision is doubly burdensome: they are long-term commitments and cannot be changed as we please. We have been talking for quite some time about one, then two Croatian corvettes. For the last eight months, nothing has been said about it and nothing has been done. I will understand if there is no money, but it is time to return to this matter, to discuss it, and to establish as an imperative that these ships, as far as possible, are built in Croatian shipyards and on Croatian slipways,” President Milanović pointed out. He reminded the audience that shipbuilding used to be specialized knowledge and a secret craft that “made the difference between war and peace, life and death.” “This is something we must not give up on. This is an appeal, and I hope something will come of it,” he emphasized.
“A ship is not merely a combat vessel. In contemporary warfare conditions, it is an increasingly limited combat vessel, as we have seen on the example of the mightiest and most powerful in the last six months. Nor is the role of the tank – as the most penetrative armoured asset of the infantry, i.e. armoured units – as it was. All of these systems are costly. However, unlike a tank, the ship is more than a lethal and deterrent machine. It is also an ambassador. The ship is visible, represents the state and is visible to all. It is at sea almost year-round, unlike almost everything else. It is a part of our identity,” said President Milanović.
He called upon “those who make the financial decisions” to “finally make a decision and proceed with implementing at least some of the many projects currently only on paper.” “All of this is contained in documents adopted by the highest authorities of the Croatian state. I consider this a very serious matter; it is binding, so let us start realizing some of them. The navy, which is deeply rooted in Croatian identity and tradition, has received nothing,” the President pointed out, concluding: “I hope we will change this, and very soon, and enter into a process that will be comprehensive, meaningful, and carried through to completion –because that is how serious people work.”
“Once again, I offer my congratulations on this festive day – a single pebble in the timeline of the history of the Croatian Navy, a history that spans far longer than our own lives,” he concluded.
On the occasion of Croatian Navy Day and the 35th anniversary of the founding of the Croatian Navy, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces, acting on his constitutional and legal authority, issued Decisions on decorations, promotions, and commendations for members of the Croatian Navy. He awarded the Homeland Gratitude Memorial Medal for honourable and exemplary service to Colonel Ivica Suman.
In total, he issued regular promotions to 14 active-duty officers of the Croatian Navy, as follows: Commander Stipe Mornar was promoted to the rank of Captain; Lieutenant Sanja Čajsa was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander; Ensigns Ivan Agičić, Josip Dabro, Ivan Ante Juričić, Marin Koljanin, Lučano Mišlov, Dominik Perkušić, Marko Tokić, and Petar Vukšić were promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade; Ensigns Antonela Duran, Andrea Šimić, and Martina Vukasović Lončar were also promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade; and Second Lieutenant Marija Vidić was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant.
For the successful completion of his duties and for achieving above-average results in the execution of assigned tasks, President Milanović commended Captain Marinko Rubić with a written commendation.
In addition to President Milanović, the ceremony featured remarks from Commodore Damir Dojkić, Commander of the Croatian Navy, and Brigadier General Ivan Raos, Chief of the Operations Directorate of the General Staff and envoy of the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces.
President Milanović was accompanied by Orsat Miljenić, Head of the Office of the President; Ivica Olujić, Adviser to the President for Defence; Colonel Franjo Hrala, Head of the Military Office within the Cabinet for Defence and National Security; and Colonel Tihomir Zebec, Commander of the Honorary and Protection Battalion.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić