President Milanović Confers Order of Duke Domagoj with Ribbon upon Anton Kikaš

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović decorated Anton Kikaš with the Order of Duke Domagoj with Ribbon for the bravery and heroism he displayed in the Homeland War.

“What you have done for Croatia is public knowledge, but what the public doesn’t know is why it took thirty years for Croatia to repay you by a minimal gesture. I don’t think there was any evil intention, or any hidden motives, it was just simply so. You are getting the decoration you should have received long ago. It is a great honour for me that such actions are recorded and not forgotten. In the hardest of times for Croatia you collected funds, set out on a bold adventure that at first didn’t end up good for you, it could have been fatal, but in the end Croatia showed that it cares for its people. And, thirty years later, this is a small belated gesture”, President Milanović stated when presenting the decoration.

Anton Kikaš thanked President Milanović for the decoration and said: “This is a very special and joyous day for me for a number of reasons – not only because of the decoration – you can’t describe it in words, and it will remain with me forever. Today is the thirtieth anniversary of my release from prison, the day when I saw light at the end of the tunnel, a very dark tunnel called the Belgrade military prison. In the past thirty years I have celebrated this day as a second birthday”. He also thanked the Matica hrvatska national institution for proposing him for the decoration.

In August 1991 Anton Kikaš wanted to deliver weapons by plane to the Republic of Croatia that needed them to defend itself against the aggression. The airplane loaded with weapons was forced to land in Zagreb where Kikaš was captured, and sent to a military prison in Belgrade in which he spent three months. After three months in prison, he was exchanged for a general of the former Yugoslav army and freed.

Accompanying Anton Kikaš at the decorations ceremony were his family and friends: son Robert Kikaš, sister Olga Prusac, nieces Antoanela Miloš and Nevena Letica, nephew Ninoslav Kikaš, retired bishop Msgr. Juraj Jezerinac, and friend Jagoda Schon.

Alongside President Milanović was the Head of the Office of the President of the Republic Orsat Miljenić, and the Special Adviser to the President for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić