The main festivities are traditionally held in Knin.
On Saturday, Croatia is celebrating the Day of Victory and the Homeland Thanksgiving, as well as the Day of Croatian Defenders. The holiday marks the 22nd anniversary of the Operation Storm and the end of the Homeland war. The official part of the celebrations is traditionally held in Knin, reports Index.hr on 5 August 2017.
The events began in the morning, with wreath laying ceremony at the Storm 95 monument. The wreaths were laid by President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Speaker of President Gordan Jandroković, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Prefect of Šibenik-Knin County Goran Pauk, Knin Mayor Marko Jelić and representatives of Homeland War veterans’ associations.
The dignitaries then went to the Knin Fortress where the names of the killed and missing participants of the operation were read. The Croatian flag was raised at Knin Fortress accompanied by the national anthem.
There was also a flyover by aircraft of the Croatian Air Force and Air Defence, including the new Kiowa helicopters which were presented for the first time.
“As a soldier, a commander and participant of the Operation Storm, I would like to say that it is a symbol of military success, heroism and the crown of our victory,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Damir Krstičević, who commanded one of the brigades which liberated Knin in 1995. “We knew that we were doing something right for this people and country. We did not want the war. You saw that we came out as winners, you have heard our allies who say that the Operation Storm is taught at their military schools as a brilliant military action,” he said.
“I hope that one day we will be able to jointly mark the Operation Storm as an operation which has stopped the Greater Serbian aggression, the Greater Serbian policies, which caused numerous victims among Serbs as well. As far as Croatia is concerned, we are sorry for every lost life, both Serb and Croat, and for all those who died in the Storm and Homeland War in general. We believe in a common future of all Croatian citizens,” said President Kolinda Grabar Kitarović to reporters in Knin.
“Like other countries in the 1990s, Croatia wanted democracy. We were faced with the brutal aggression of the Milošević’s regime. In less than four days, 20 percent of the Croatian territory was liberated. The Operation Storm prevented another genocide, similar to the one in Srebrenica. It will remain remembered as the biggest victory in Croatian history. The Croatian state will not allow anyone to attack the Storm just like Croatian defenders did not allow anyone to defeat Croatia,” said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
SDP President Davor Bernardić said that Croatia should face all victims of the Homeland War and demonstrate its strength in that way. “Today is an opportunity to recall all victims and sufferings, all civilian casualties. We should face this as a modern and responsible state. This should be Croatia’s strength and advantage rather than Croatian weakness,” said Bernardić. He pointed out that all Croatians today celebrate “a day of pride and glory” which united all of Croatia in the struggle against Serbian President Slobodan Milošević’s policies, which were a modern form of fascism.
The events at the Knin Fortress were followed by mass for all those killed during the Homeland War, while a large concert is planned for this evening.
Translated from Index.hr.
