President of the Republic Awards Posthumously Grand Order of King Petar Krešimir IV with Sash and Star to General Ante Roso

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović awards posthumously the Grand Order of King Petar Krešimir IV with Sash and Star to General Ante Roso. General Ante Roso is posthumously decorated for his exceptional contribution to the creation of the war strategy and military doctrine, his merit in the development of the Armed Forces and his outstanding achievements in conducting and commanding Croatian Armed Forces units. The decoration was received by his widow, Christine Roso, at a ceremony held in the Office of the President of the Republic.

“I am fulfilling a debt of honour to General Roso and awarding this high Croatian decoration to him“, President Milanović stated. If it weren’t for people like General Roso, possibly things could have looked different. Croatia first had to be defended, then liberated, and in all of this, General Roso made a huge contribution with his work on creating the Croatian Army, then by leading the Croatian Army and the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Unfortunately, his passing is premature and this decoration is a symbolic way not to forget him, and we won’t forget him; and to remember him as a great Croatian warrior”, President Milanović said.

He recalled that “General Roso was among those who created the Croatian Army, personally going about Croatia looking for future fighters, members of the special “Zrinski” unit.  “If the Croatian Army was a large river at the end of the Homeland War with many tributaries that overwhelmed the enemy, then General Roso definitely was the water from the source”, President Milanović added who decorated General Roso on the recommendation of friends, commanders, comrades-in-arms and generals from the Homeland War.

Thanking for the decoration awarded posthumously on behalf of the family of the late General Ante Roso was his comrade-in-arms retired Croatian Army Lieutenant Colonel, Žoni Maksan. Attending the ceremony of the presentation of the posthumous decoration besides family members: widow Christine Roso, son Ante-Louis Roso and brothers Ivan and Jure Roso, were his closest associates and friends Anđelko Gelo, Žoni Maksan, Mara Rimac Jukić, Nediljko Kadija and Bruno Marković.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas