President Milanović in Zemunik: My demand is to urgently procure air defense systems
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 establishment and operation of the 93rd Wing of the Croatian Air Force in the “Pukovnik Miro Vukušić” Barracks in Zemunik. He talked about the recent crash of the unmanned aerial vehicle in Zagreb, underlining the importance of air defense.
“It was sheer luck that the incident of a few days ago did not end tragically when a foreign object crashed in our capital Zagreb, which stresses the importance of defense. It indicates that when you’re not even in a position to prevent certain events, you have to do your utmost not to let hem happen. I would simply be at peace”, President Milanović stated. He repeated the need to invest in air defense. “My message, wish and demand to procure urgently for our Croatian air defense – in addition to what has already been decided to procure, acquire and gain, which I welcome – some systems that would guarantee us greater security”, the President stated.
“There is no absolute protection and no one has it. Nevertheless, certain things can be done for our consciences to be clear before our citizens and families, cities, villages and communities in that we have done everything. At the moment we haven’t done everything and I’m absolutely certain that we will in the near future, so that such events never happen again”, President Milanović noted, adding that there is no sense now in pointing a finger at anybody, and he is confident that there is no such person within Croatian ranks.
“The Croatian state and Government, the Croatian political establishment as a whole, those who decide on the state finances, on the budget, must realize, and I believe they are, how important these things are – when events you don’t wish occur – it’s too late to turn back, to look for excuses and the guilty party. Things have to be considered thoroughly and one has to be proactive”, the President said in concluding his address.
Attending the ceremony aside from the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces were the State Secretary in the Croatian Ministry of Defense and envoy of the Defense Minister Branko Hrg, the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Lieutenant General Siniša Jurković, the Commander of the Croatian Air Force Brigadier General Michael Križanec, and the Commander of the 93rd Wing of the Croatian Air Force Colonel Krešimir Ražov.
In the company of President Milanović were the Adviser to the President of the Republic for Defense and National Security Dragan Lozančić and the Special Adviser to the President for Homeland War Veterans.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić