President Milanović in Knin: We are here to celebrate our successes and not to gloat over the defeat of others

06. August 2021.
13:37

The President of the Republic of Croatia and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović hosted an official reception for Homeland War wartime commanders on the occasion of marking Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day, Day of Croatian Defenders and the 26th anniversary of the Military-Police Operation Storm. At the reception held at Knin Fortress, President Milanović decorated Croatian generals and two units of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO).

President Milanović decorated retired Lieutenant General Mladen Kruljac, retired Major General Ivan Kapular, retired Major General Jozo Milićević and retired Brigadier General Zvonko Peternel with the Grand Order of King Petar Krešimir IV with Sash and Star for extraordinary contributions to the creation of war strategy and military doctrine, for services in the establishment of the Armed Forces and for outstanding successes in the leadership and command of units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia.

For deeds of valour demonstrated by its members in the Homeland War, President Milanović decorated the Military Police of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) and Special Purpose Unit Ludvig Pavlović of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) with the Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski.

President Milanović said these words at the official reception:

“Dear friends, dear minister, high-level guests, Croatian soldiers, Croatian heroes, we are here tonight and tomorrow to celebrate our successes and not to gloat over the defeat of others. There had been too much blood and heavy emotions for this to be turned into some kind of gloating. We are here to decorate the best among you. The decorations I am bestowing here today, on my behalf and on behalf of the Croatian state, are not aimed at hurting anyone. They are aimed at underlining the validity and greatness of our path.

Knin, a town that was important in Croatia’s history, was in a way both sacred and cursed. In 1995, we put an end to Croatia’s occupation and to everything that was bothering, hurting and destroying us for several years. The bravest, the smartest, the most determined among you have made that battle possible. Yes, the Americans were and still are our friends, but frankly speaking if it hadn’t been for you, soldiers and police, and the then political and military leaders, we would not have this. Nobody told you to do this and nobody gave you clear directions outside Croatia. You planned it out and did it yourself, and therein lies the magnitude of this victory. As last year, I forgot to emphasize: Croatian heroes, Croatian soldiers and the Croatian police. Because without the special police, this whole operation, this entire campaign, this entire large scale plan – which cannot be devised by just anyone – would not have been possible and would not have turned out as it did.

This is not intended, and I repeat for the third time, to humiliate anyone, least of all the people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Here, for the second year in a row, I will decorate the units, our people, our brothers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, our fellow fighters and members of our people living, let me emphasize, in another country, who made sacrifices for the common goal selflessly, bravely and without compromise. And I believe that our friends in Bosnia and Herzegovina and those who look critically at what we are doing today will realize our good intention. It is not meant to hurt anyone. It is a debt of honour, a debt of respect for the people who gave their best, who risked their lives, who fought for the Croatian state, together with the army of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Let’s remember that. Decorations were bestowed and accepted for this reason. These are important things and I will keep emphasizing them.

Thank you to everyone who came, to the vast majority who came. This is not logistically simple either, it is complicated. See you tomorrow! I congratulate those who will receive the highest decorations and I hope that no one from the position of President of the Republic will ever present such decorations to war commanders, in other words I hope there will be no more wars. With this, we close and round off one great story, the epic of the Croatian people, the Croatian state and all those Croats and Croatian citizens who fought for this.

Thank you once again and congratulations to the medal recipients. Long live our Homeland, long live Croatia!”

Joining President Milanović at the official reception were the Head of the Office of the President of the Republic Orsat Miljenić, Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Admiral Robert Hranj, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Defense and National Security Dragan Lozančić and Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković.

PHOTO : Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan