\u201c\u2018For the Homeland \u2013 Ready\u2019 \u2013 we don\u2019t need that. It\u2019s a salute deliberately chosen in that context; it was a challenge to the Croatian National Guard and to Tu\u0111man, above all, which is why he abolished it \u2013 he even physically clashed with some people over it. It\u2019s ugly, but that\u2019s how it was. If you don\u2019t know what happened, it\u2019s all written down; we know everything,\u201d said President Zoran Milanovi\u0107, commenting on the use of the banned salute from the era of the Independent State of Croatia and recalling that President Tu\u0111man abolished the HOS (Croatian Defense Forces) because of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After attending a session of the \u010cazma Municipal Council, President Milanovi\u0107 answered journalists\u2019 questions about Thompson\u2019s concert and the events surrounding it. \u201cThe concert was huge, with a lot of people. It went smoothly. Maybe there were even too many people. That is, of course, a success for the organizers \u2013 congratulations \u2013 but perhaps it was a bit too much for Zagreb. It\u2019s a good lesson if such a concert is repeated. It probably won\u2019t be repeated because the moment was unique. Everything was summed up in those few hundred thousand people, even a kind of defiance. There was a bit of everything, but the concert itself is not controversial, and it\u2019s not trivial either \u2013 it was huge,\u201d he said, commenting on Marko Perkovi\u0107 Thompson\u2019s concert at the Zagreb Hippodrome in early July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He pointed out that certain things happened in downtown Zagreb that should not have happened, referring to Ustasha songs sung on the eve of the concert. \u201cThe police should have acted \u2013 removed those people, written them up, fined them on the spot, not a week later. Why didn\u2019t they? Some caterers even encouraged it to make a few extra euros. This should not happen in the centre of Zagreb, nor in the centre of Imotski,\u201d he said, recalling that he was the first to react when the same thing happened in Imotski a year ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking about World War II and the controversial \u2018For the Homeland \u2013 Ready\u2019 salute, President Milanovi\u0107 said: \u201cWe can agree or disagree on who the winner was. Some things are obvious to some people, but not to everyone. People are subjective. We can disagree about values \u2013 you cannot and should not impose values on anyone. But what we cannot disagree on, because it\u2019s simply a fact, is that the HOS and all the black symbolism around it are not Croatian national colours.\u201d He reminded that many HOS fighters in the Homeland War mostly wore camouflage uniforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Commenting on HOS\u2019s role in the Homeland War, he described it as \u201ca volunteer militia within a political party that ceased to exist in January 1992 when Tu\u0111man abolished it.\u201d He added: \u201cThe HSP (party) didn\u2019t use the HOS name by accident, and it didn\u2019t choose the \u2018For the Homeland \u2013 Ready\u2019 salute by accident either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cForbidden fruit is attractive. Maybe the solution is to start ignoring it. It\u2019s been almost a hundred years. I have a problem with the colour black \u2013 it has nothing to do with Croatia or the Croatian Army,\u201d the President said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Regarding the upcoming military parade, President Milanovi\u0107 reminded that it is commanded by the Chief of the General Staff, while the Commander in Chief \u2013 the President \u2013 is responsible for granting approval. He emphasized that the Ministry of Defense, the Government, and the Croatian Parliament are co-organizers of the accompanying cultural and artistic programme, but that the parade itself is \u201ca military event, a line-up of Croatian Army units on the streets of Zagreb.\u201d He recalled the 2015 parade, noting that \u201cnot a single NATO country attended,\u201d and stressed that Croatia won its 1995 victory on its own \u2013 something that should be shown clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the planned purchase of two corvettes worth around 500 million euros from Turkey, President Milanovi\u0107 called for a thorough, professional, and transparent analysis of all offers: \u201cThe main criterion must be the Croatian Navy\u2019s ability to conduct modern patrols and \u2013 God forbid \u2013 wage war, within a reasonable budget.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He noted that the Navy lacks capabilities and that the previous project to build five patrol ships \u201cstalled,\u201d which is why it\u2019s now important to \u201ctake a cautious approach\u201d and consider offers from several NATO manufacturers, including \u2013 but not limited to \u2013 the Turkish one. He added that price should not be the decisive factor, but just one of several elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked about the recent incursion at the Udbina barracks, President Milanovi\u0107 said the report should first be reviewed before he comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking about the Honorary and Protection Battalion member accused of murder, the President once again expressed regret over the tragic incident and announced organizational changes: \u201cThe conclusion from all this is that we will have to change certain things, perhaps introduce a permanent psychological service and tighten some procedures.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added: \u201cUnfortunately, we learn from such situations.\u201d Some security checks were previously lacking due to formal restrictions, he noted, but this will now be corrected, and verification procedures will be extended \u201cby a month if necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Commenting on the European Commission\u2019s proposal to increase defense and security spending in the next EU budget period while reducing agricultural subsidies, President Milanovi\u0107 stressed that Croatia would not lose much because \u201cagriculture has been systematically neglected anyway.\u201d He emphasized the broader picture: \u201cThe European Union is self-sufficient in food. The defense budget can grow, but without enough soldiers, it means little.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He warned that, unlike the US, the EU does not have \u201cthe exorbitant privilege of its currency\u201d or nuclear deterrence, and concluded that the key challenge for European countries will be manpower, not money.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201c\u2018For the Homeland \u2013 Ready\u2019 \u2013 we don\u2019t need that. It\u2019s a salute deliberately chosen in that context; it was a challenge to the Croatian National Guard and to Tu\u0111man, above all, which is why he abolished it \u2013 he even physically clashed with some people over it. It\u2019s ugly, but that\u2019s how it was. If you don\u2019t know what happened, it\u2019s all written down; we know everything,\u201d said President Zoran Milanovi\u0107, commenting on the use of the banned salute from the era of the Independent State of Croatia and recalling that President Tu\u0111man abolished the HOS (Croatian Defense Forces) because of it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":38992,"template":"","news-cat":[12],"class_list":["post-39005","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-cat-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n