President Milanović in Varaždin: Croatia’s success measured by a fight for the right to a good life for the Croatian citizen
The President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović attended a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the liberation of Varaždin and Varaždin County Defenders Day held on Capuchin Square in Varaždin.
President Milanović congratulated Liberation Day and Defenders Day to the residents of Varaždin and their guests, and noted that 22 September 1991 was a special day and an extraordonary event in which a small number of good and right people participated.
He underlined two events that were engraved in his memory. “The first event was the liberation of Šibenik, which prevented the occupation of Šibenik. The courage, determination, boldness, knowledge and dedication of a small number of small people who captured two barracks, armed themselves and for the first shook their fists to the conquerors or rather bullies and killers from the Knin garrison. The second more important event was Varaždin. So much military equipment was captured here thanks to a small number of brave and resourceful people who knew how and what to do, people who led the headquarters at that time and those who fought with weapons. Those people are also with us here today”, the President noted.
Moreover, he said that we had to pay a heavy price, which was justifiable in order to ultimately enjoy what we have today. He underlined that many years have passed since 1991, and that the European Union is not what it once was. “It is good, it is the place in which we are fulfilling ourselves, in which we are making progress, and in which we are primarily for our own sake. Croatia’s success is not measured by big words, slogans, fights for the rights of some group of other, but by a fight for the right of the Croatian citizen to a polite, pleasant, structured and predictable life”, President Milanović stated, adding that this is our task. “This task is measured first of all by the funds we absorb because that is our money, and everything else can be more or less important. But this organization and focus to get the most out of ourselves is what we owe the Croatian men and women, Croatian defenders, Croatian heroes. They would be happy to see that we are living better, safer. The only way for a small, self-conscious and tough Croatia is to fight for our rights, for what belongs to us”, President Milanović remarked.
He said that the Croatian brigades from Croatia’s north made a huge contribution to the liberation, and before that to the defense of Croatia. “The Croatian defenders of the south, the 7th Guards brigade ‘Pume’ led by the famous war commander Ivan Korade, and he will remain a famous war commander despite subsequent events, had a critical and key role in liberating Croatia. The role of the ‘Puma’, the role of the people from Croatia’s north was incredibly important. Without the citizens of Varaždin and the people of Dalmatia and Herzegovina, things would have turned out different”, President Milanović noted.
In concluding his address, the President of the Republic said that we must know who and what we are. “A small nation, but a more and more organized state. We will not call upon our minorities, our sisters and brothers who live abroad, in neighbouring countries to cause disturbance, and to spite those with whom they live, but to live in peace and with respect. We are not creating any great Croatian worlds, we are here, sons and daughters of the homeland, wherever we are in the world we know each other, we understand each other, and to those who enabled this many thanks and glory forever”, President Milanović remarked.
Prior to attending the ceremony marking the liberation of Varaždin and the Day of Varaždin County Defenders, President Milanović laid a wreath and lit a candle in honour of all the killed, the fallen and missing Croatian defenders at the Cross of Thanksgiving on Liberty Square. Accompanying President Milanović at the event was the Special Adviser to the President for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan