President Milanović Tells Members of Croatian Armed Forces Heading to Lithuania: Protect the image, honour and reputation of Croatian soldiers
The President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović attended a ceremony where he saw off the 3rd Croatian contingent to the Republic of Lithuania to join NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence mission there (eFP BG-LTU).
President Milanović told the members of the contingent at a ceremony held in the “Pukovnik Predrag Matanović” Barracks in Petrinja that they are heading to Lithuania to protect the image, honour and reputation of Croatian soldiers, of “those you succeeded, those who fought thirty years ago. You are the only army within NATO that has the experience of fighting on its own territory, in defence of its own country. No one else has that. Those are (the people) who stood before you and all of you, and all of us, stand on the shoulders of those giants,” the President emphasized.
“Ignore daily politics, the statements of European and Croatian leaders. Acquire knowledge and enhance the knowledge you have because you are going there as people who know something and want something. And never forget that your first task – not the only, but first and main task – is the defence of the Croatian Homeland, its borders, people, territory and democratically elected government. Have a safe journey and come back safe!”, President Milanović concluded.
The 3rd Croatian contingent is composed of 180 members. Today, 163 members of the contingent were seen off from the barracks in Petrinja to Lithuania by the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Admiral Robert Hranj, Commander of the Croatian Army Lieutenant General Boris Šerić, Commander of the Operations Command of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Brigadier General Ivan Turkalj, Commander of the Croatian Army Guards Mechanized Brigade Brigadier General Dražen Ressler, Commander of the 2nd Mechanized Battalion “Gromovi” Major Vlatko Klarić and Commander of the 1st Mechanized Battalion “Gromovi” Major Marko Krpan.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta