President Milanović: Croatia Can Be Peaceful because It is Protected by the Croatian Army
On the occasion of Croatian Armed Forces Day, Croatian Army Day and the 30th anniversary of the formation of the Croatian National Guard the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović hosted a reception at which he congratulated members of the Croatian Armed Forces on their day and decorated its deserving members.
In his address President Milanović recalled those who lined-up thirty years ago, those who were on Kranjčević Street or perhaps those who weren’t there because they were already risking their lives and serving the Homeland. “There are many of you present and thank you for coming. Come to Kranjčević Street tomorrow. We expect you there. That’s the least that Croatia can give you. It is more important and bigger than the heart and all recognitions, decorations and commendations that you’ve received and shall receive. This is your day”, President Milanović told them.
He said that Croatia had a long, difficult and complicated path and that Croats are different because Croatia is different and a special country, the only country that had to go through a war after 1990. “With fire and sword, in the hell of battle, fear, fight for one’s own life, the homeland and the family, we had to fight for something that had come easy to others”, the President noted. He added that we know that our path was the right one, it was just, and that was our guiding principle. “A fight for our state, for our historical right that all peoples have. If it weren’t for you, none of that would have happened. If it weren’t for the few good and special people who assembled in Kranjčević Street or were in places where people would be killed, without you none of that would have happened. And that is the essence of today’s day”, President Milanović underlined.
In his address the President of the Republic recalled those who are no longer among us saying that they would be proud to see Croatia today. “It is what it is, it is good and it is ours. They would be pleased to see the Croatian army at a military exercise under American command, American troops and the commander of the American army for Europe. They would see that Croatia is where it always wished to be, that it’s an independent country of the West, of the Western civilization to which it belongs. “That’s the Croatian goal, the Croatian path, and on that path we, that is you, are the victors”, he said.
“Once again thank you for everything. There are no other words to say. Thank you for all the fear that you have experienced and what your families have gone through. Thanks to all those who have not returned. We will remember them forever. Glory to you because glory is not only for those who have died. “Long live our Croatia and may it be peaceful because it is protected by the Croatian Army.”
Extending congratulations on the occasion of Croatian Armed Forces Day, Croatian Army Day and the 30th anniversary of the formation of the Croatian National Guard besides the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces was the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Croatia Mario Banožić.
Also attending the reception on the occasion of Croatian Armed Forces Day, Croatian Army Day and the 30th anniversary of the formation of the Croatian National Guard were members of the Ministry of Defence and the Croatian Armed Forces who were part of the Defence forces of the Republic of Croatia on 28 May 1991 (Interior Ministry, Croatian National Guard). A total of 366 of them were awarded the Homeland Gratitude Memorial Medal by the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces for honourable and exemplary service.
On the same occasion the President of the Republic also presented the following decorations: the Order of Duke Domagoj with Ribbon for demonstrated bravery and heroism in the Homeland War to Slavko Butorac, Neven Martić and Krešimir Šipoš; the Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski for a deed of valour in war to Siniša Glavaš and Tomo Amižić.
For extraordinary successful command of the Croatian Armed Forces units and for outstanding military service in their organization and development , the Order of Ban Jelačić was bestowed upon Damir Dujić and retired Brigadier General Željko Hučić. For contribution to the maintenance and development of the concept of Croatian statehood, through the establishment and development of the sovereign Croatian state, the Order of Ante Starčević was bestowed upon retired Brigadier General Božo Kožul. The Order of the Croatian Cross for sustaining serious wounds in the Homeland War was bestowed upon Đuro Kovačević and Mario Jahić.
The Order of the Croatian Trefoil for extraordinary service to the Republic of Croatia in a state of war or under special circumstances in peace was bestowed upon Zvonko Aničić, Anto Arelić, Zoran Beligoj, Zoran Bilačić, Marijan Crnac, Ivan Čabraja, Josip Dubac, Ivan Filipović, Franjo Golubić, Mario Grubić, Vinko Hančić, Karlo Jadanić, Antun Katić, Zoran Magdić, Drago Majić, Mirko Margeta, Mijo Mitrović, Mario Nađ, Zoran Odobašić, Slobodan Oreč, Dražen Pišonić, Ivan Romić, Ernest Stjepić, Mirko Šebelić, Vinko Štimac, Valentin Tomšić, Anton Skupnjak and Ivan Španiček.
The Order of the Croatian Interlace for extraordinary contribution to the development and reputation of the Republic of Croatia, as well as to the welfare of its citizens was bestowed upon Petar Bubalo, Željko Ivanišević, Luka Krijan, Vlado Krpan, Ljubomir Marjanović, Gordana Pujez, Marijo Sosnik, Antun Špehar, Mato Opačak, Ivan Stišćak – posthumously, Željko Matozan, Bogdan Celinić, Ivan Kožul and Vinko Miličević.
Expressing thanks on behalf of the decorated members was Neven Martić who, as Head of the Department of the Special Police and Police Reserve Units thirty years ago on 28 May 1991, took the ceremonial oath and reported to the first Croatian President Dr. Franjo Tuđman inviting him to review the Croatian National Guard units.
Attending the formal reception in the Office of the President of the Republic in addition to Defence Minister Mario Banožić were Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans Tomo Medved and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović. Alongside the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Admiral Robert Hranj were the Deputy Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Siniša Jurković, the Commander of the Croatian Army Lieutenant General Boris Šerić, the Commander of the Croatian Navy Rear Admiral Ivo Raffanelli, the Commander of the Croatian Air Force Brigadier General Michael Križanec as well as other Croatian Armed Forces commanders, representatives of the Defence Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the General Police Directorate and Police Departments.
Also in attendance at the ceremony were respectively the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Croatian Parliament’s Defence Committee Franko Vidović and Anđelko Stričak, the Director of the Security and Intelligence Agency Danijel Markić, the Director of the Office of the National Security Office Maja Čavlović, former Defence ministers, former Chiefs of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces as well as military attachés in the Republic of Croatia. Also present at the formal reception were many members of Croatian Homeland War defenders associations and brigades.
Alongside the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces were the Head of Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia Orsat Miljenić, the Head of the Cabinet of the President Bartol Šimunić, the Adviser to the President for Defence and National Security Dragan Lozančić, the Adviser to the President for Foreign and European Policy Neven Pelicarić, the Adviser to the President for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić, the Adviser to the President for Education Jadranka Žarković, the Spokesperson of the Office of the President Nikola Jelić, the Chief of Protocol of the President Dragana Podner, the Special Adviser to the President for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković, the Special Adviser to the President for the Economy Velibor Mačkić and the Assistant Head of the Cabinet of the President Goran Grobotek.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek, Ana Marija Katić