The Day of Victory and Homeland Gratitude, the Day of Croatian Veterans and the 29th anniversary of the military police operation Storm were solemnly and dignified on August 5, 2024 in Knin. The central ceremony was held at the NK Dinara stadium, and the program at the Knin Fortress was broadcast via video walls at the stadium and the central town square.
At the ceremony in honor of this great military victory, the highest state and military officials gathered in the town of Zvonimir, and the commemoration began with a traditional vigil in the city streets.
On Dr. Ante Starčević Square near the "Storm of 95" Croatian Victory Monument, a tribute was paid to the dead, missing and deceased Croatian veterans. Wreaths were laid by representatives of the families of dead, missing and deceased Croatian veterans in VRO Oluja, HRVI, war commanders and representatives of associations from the Homeland War, delegations of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the Croatian Parliament and the President of the Republic of Croatia and the delegation of the Croatian National Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as representatives of counties and cities.
Brigadier General Željko Ljubas, Commander of the Command and Operations Center of the Main Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia, presented the application to the President of the Republic of Croatia at the NK Dinara stadium.
The ringing of church bells heralded the traditional ceremony of raising the Croatian flag on the mast of the Knin Fortress at exactly 9:43 a.m., when Croatian soldiers triumphantly entered the town of Zvonimir 29 years ago. Then the same number of platoons announced the history book and the names of 245 dead and missing veterans in VRO Oluja were read, and they were honored with a flyover of the multi-purpose Rafale fighter plane of the Croatian Air Force.
Today we celebrate the freedom and fearlessness of Croatian veterans
On behalf of Croatian veterans, retired Colonel-General Slavko Barić, long-time deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and deputy commander of the War School "Ban Josip Jelačić" and commander of the Croatian Military Academy "Dr. Franjo Tuđman". He pointed out the importance of promoting the truth about the Homeland War and caring for Croatian veterans, and emphasized that they should not be a burden on society, but rather its active members.
Congratulations and gratitude to the Croatian veterans were then sent by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, who pointed out: "The storm marked a new period in Croatian history, because from that moment the survival of Croatia was ensured for its future generations. The raising of the flag at the Knin Fortress is one of the happiest moments in Croatian history: it marked the realization of the thousand-year-old dream of Croatian independence. Today we celebrate the freedom and fearlessness of Croatian defenders and the independence of Croatia, which generations dreamed of." He emphasized that Storm was a liberating, legitimate and just military operation and that distortion of historical facts and attacks on Croatian defenders and policemen will not be allowed, because they are at the foundation of our freedom.
The President of the Croatian Parliament, Gordan Jandroković, said that VRO Oluja was great, legitimate, legal and just, and that there are those who want to cast a shadow on the Homeland War. He emphasized that such narratives will not work for them: "Our task is to convey the historical truth to future generations and to remind them that we won only thanks to the courage and sacrifice of Croatian defenders and the wisdom of the first Croatian president Dr. Franjo Tuđman."
The President of the Republic of Croatia and the Commander-in-Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović pointed out in his address:Today we celebrate freedom and the courage and skill of our soldiers, who brought us freedom, peace and sovereignty, as well as the wisdom and determination of the Croatian political leadership at the time."
An attractive display of the capabilities of the Croatian army and police
The ceremony at the stadium was rounded off by a demonstration of the abilities of members of the Croatian army and police and a flight program in which the acrogroup "Storm Wings", MiG-21 aircraft and multi-purpose Rafale fighter jets took part.
The flyover of the MiG-21 plane symbolically reminded us of the key air support that these planes provided to the ground forces during the military-police operation Storm, but also heralded a new chapter in the defense capability of the Republic of Croatia with the Rafale planes. After a short flight demonstration, the Rafales went to fly over the state territory of the Republic of Croatia in honor of the Storm.
Defense Minister Ivan Anušić: This is one of the greatest days in recent Croatian history
"To all of Croatia, in the homeland and abroad, I congratulate the Day of Victory and Homeland Gratitude and the Day of Croatian Veterans and the 29th anniversary of the military police operation Storm, the day that changed Croatia, the day that will remain in the memories as the greatest day in the history of Croatia since the first mention of Croatian man. This day, August 5, 1995, is, if not the greatest, then one of the greatest in history," Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ivan Anušić said from Knin, who also visited the tactical-technical assembly of weapons and equipment.
After the central ceremony, a mass was held in the church of Our Lady of the Great Croatian Cross, led by the military ordinary, Msgr. Jure Bogdan with the concelebration of the Bishop of Šibenik, Msgr. Tomislav Rogić.
All day, all those interested could view the tactical-technical collection of weapons and equipment. In the afternoon, participants of the marathon, as well as cyclists and motorcyclists, participants of the race and parade, which are traditionally held on the occasion of this great Croatian military victory, arrived in Knin.
The ceremonial marking was attended by: President of the Republic of Croatia and Supreme Commander of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović, President of the Croatian Parliament Gordan Jandroković, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenković, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ivan Anušić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans Tomo Medved, other government ministers, President of the Croatian of the People's Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dragan Čović, Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces, Colonel-General Tihomir Kundid, Commanders of the Armed Forces of the Armed Forces, Military Ordinary Mons. Jure Bogdan, ambassadors and foreign military envoys accredited to the Republic of Croatia, representatives of the City and County, numerous members of the Armed Forces, participants in the operation and many others.
Source and photo: MORH/F.KLen
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