President Milanović Decorates Members of 1st Home Guard Battalion in Pula: Istria is Croatian and will remain Croatian

The President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović attended today a ceremony in the city of Pula marking the 30^th anniversary of the formation of the 1^st Home Guard Battalion Pula. On this occasion, President Milanović presented Homeland War Memorial Medals to members of the battalion for their participation in the Homeland War, pointing out that the medals are “a small gesture and a small debt of honour that Croatia owes them.”

“I came here to fulfil my duty towards you, who have fulfilled a great duty towards Croatia. You defended Croatia bravely and exceptionally, you managed to defend it and this remains written in golden letters in Croatian history,” said President Milanović. He pointed out that Istria certainly knows, feels and understands what Croatian land is. “It never crossed my mind to say that Trieste is Croatian, but Istria is Croatian and it will remain Croatian,” he said.

The following were decorated with the Homeland War Memorial Medal: Darko Bačić, Vilim Banović, Dragan Barašin (posthumously), Zoran Baretić, Boris Belušić, Gianfranco Bonassin, Fabio Božac, Ivan Butković (posthumously), Mladen Crnić, Lino Crnobori, Dalibor Cukon, Bruno Černjul (posthumously), Fulvio Delcaro, Dragotin Doblanović, Peter Dragomir, Marijan Drakulić, Stanko Drandić, Zvonimir Erdeši (posthumously), Boris Fotić, Izet Hujdur, Ivan Ivančić (posthumously), Rajko Ivošević, Rino Jadreško, Željko Jarić, Jadranka Jergović, Avdo Kadić, Sajid Karaman, Valter Kliba, Milan Kliman (posthumously), Slavko Kokot, Denis Kontošić, Josip Kuharić (posthumously), Anton Lekaj (posthumously), Branko Licul, Vladimir Lorber (posthumously), Slavko Lovrečić (posthumously), Mirko Maurović, Aldo Mihovilović (posthumously), Josip Mikuljan, Sergio Milotić, Egidio Moscarda, Aldo Mošnja, Dario Mračić, Boris Mušković (posthumously), Elio Orlić, Giovanni Ostoni, Franko Pepoli (posthumously), Edi Petercol (posthumously), Ferucio Premate, Franjo Pucić, Vladimir Radolović (posthumously), Zlatko Rušnjak, Boris Sinčić (posthumously), Ferruccio Sorani (posthumously), Staša Stemberga, Davor Stjepanović, Livio Šćulac (posthumously), Vladimir Šetić, Đorđe Terzić, Ivan Tomičić, Anton Tonković, Lučano Ukošić (posthumously), Boris Ušić, Lavoslav Vodošek, Ivo Volarević, Marjan Žigant (posthumously), Tomo Žigri, Bruno Žulić.

Also speaking at the ceremony, apart from President Milanović, were the President of the 1^st Home Guard Battalion Pula Association First Lieutenant Boris Ružić (retd), Istria County Prefect Boris Miletić and the delegate of the Croatian Prime Minister and of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans’ Affairs, Head of Directorate in the Ministry of Croatian Veterans Dinko Tandara.

The Head of the Cabinet of the President of the Republic Bartol Šimunić and Aide-de-Camp to the President of the Republic Colonel Vlado Čulina were alongside President Milanović.

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