ZAGREB, Aug 5, 2020 – The President of Croatia and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces, Zoran Milanovic, at a ceremony in Knin on Tuesday evening, presented medals to Croatian Army (HV) generals and Bosnian Croat HVO guards brigades for their contribution to the liberation of Croatia 25 years ago.
“There is time for everything. Twenty-five years after a great victory in the Homeland War, it is time for us to get together and repeat that a small group of good people did a great thing for a large group of people, putting themselves, their lives and safety, in jeopardy,” Milanovic said in an address to a reception held on the Knin Fortress on the occasion of Victory Day, Homeland Thanksgiving Day, Croatian Veterans Day and the 25th anniversary of Operation Storm.
He said that the war that was imposed on Croatia was just and inevitable, and that “never, despite certain lapses, did we fall into an abyss of moral catastrophe.” He also said that there had been attempts to portray the Croatian war of liberation as a criminal enterprise, but “luckily they failed”.
Milanovic said he was honoured to decorate the Bosnian Croat units. “It is our debt of honour,” he said.
“Today, 25 years on, we are here. We are looking back, but most of all we are looking forward, aware of all the challenges, traps, and unknowns. What I can say with a deep conviction is that the wars are over and that Croatia won them. Long live Croatia!” the President said.
Gotovina: It’s never too late to do good
Retired General Ante Gotovina said that a lot of time had passed since the war, “but it is never too late to do good, to do right.”
“Dear friends, with your courage and your selfless dedication to the country at that fateful time for our people, through the unity of us all, we built a Croatian army capable of defending itself, ending an imposed war and creating conditions for lasting peace,” Gotovina said.
