President Milanović at 30th anniversary of formation of 20th Home Guard Regiment Glina: As much as Vučić would like it, his speech in Glina in 1995 cannot be erased or forgotten

“Dear families of the fallen Croatian heroes, Croatian Home Guards, exactly 30 years have passed since your glorious and victorious brigade. Only your reputation is more illustrious than your glory, contribution and courage. You fought honourably and successfully”, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović stated in Glina during a ceremony marking the 30^th anniversary of the formation of the 20^th Home Guard Regiment Glina.

In his speech President Milanović referred to the role of Glina in the Homeland War, highlighting that it is the place where the war indeed ended and where Croatian victory was won. “Victory is only achieved when the adversary is defeated, when there is no more shooting and when the guns fall silent. That victory in the Homeland War and the real end of the war happened here in Glina on the road to Topusko, with the exception of smart diplomacy because Croatia constantly guarded and looked after its soldiers. It is known that I tried, both as Prime Minister and President of the Republic, to draw attention to the fact that perhaps Victory Day should be celebrated sometimes in Glina and Knin. However, it never came to that,” said the President of the Republic, adding that he will continue to repeat that the final victory was won in Glina.

“The Croatian Army fought here more in Operation Storm than in other areas. Of course, the Croatian Army also fought in preparing the Knin offensive, but the operation itself was brief, brilliant and successful”, he noted.

Speaking of historical events, President Milanović also referred to the role of Serbia in the war and the delusions that Serbian politicians including Aleksandar Vučić and Vojislav Šešelj, imposed on Serbs in Croatia during the 1990s. He underlined that Vučić manipulated the people, misleading them that Croatia is not their home, but part of the so-called “Greater Serbia”, recalling his speech in Glina.

“I always wondered why Vučić, even though he was aware of the difficult situation the Serbs were in, felt the need to mislead the people in this way. As much as Vučić would like this to be forgotten and erased, it is not possible. Therefore, I asked him one thing: is he aware how many Serbs are aggrieved on account of what he said in the spring of 1995 in Glina? I didn’t ask him about the Croats, because he doesn’t care about them. As far as we are concerned, we didn’t behave like that. I didn’t notice now or before any amount of hatred and anger towards the so-called other side. That’s the right way and that’s how I built my career and how I will act in the future. These are the differences that, thank God, separate us in some things, because sometimes in order to define yourself as an entity, as a human being, as a community of Croatian citizens, Croats, unfortunately you have to define yourself in opposition to something. I also hope that those times are forever behind us and I firmly believe that we are where we wanted to be – rooted in Western civilization, which is not perfect, but there is no better one. We are lucky that these generations live in it”, said the President of the Republic.

On the occasion of the 30^th anniversary of its formation, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović bestowed the Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski upon the 20^th Home Guard Regiment Glina, for the demonstrated prowess of its members in the Homeland War.

This regiment was formed on 1 September 1994 by joining the Glina unit to the Independent battalion Topusko and the Independent battalion Lasinja. These units took part in all attacks and defensive actions since October 1991 in the zone of responsibility of the then Operative group for Sisak and Banija, and subsequently in the zone of responsibility of the Area of Operations Zagreb. Glina itself was liberated on 6 August 1995 when members of the 20^th Home Guard Regiment Glina, parts of the 153^rd Croatian Army Brigade, members of the special police forces Osa (Wasp) from Sisak and members of the police station of Glina entered the city.

More than 3,500 people passed through the unit; in Operation Storm the Glina regiment had 13 killed and 43 wounded, and a total of 75 members killed and 127 wounded during the Homeland War.

Also speaking at the ceremony apart from President Milanović were the Commander of the 20^th Home Guard Regiment Glina Stjepan Kostanjević, the mayor of Glina Ivan Janković, the State secretary in the Ministry of Croatian Veterans and delegate of the Prime Minister and of the Minister of Croatian Veterans Darko Nekić, and the Sisak-Moslavina Deputy County-prefect and delegate of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Mihael Jurić.

President Milanović was accompanied by the Special Adviser to the President for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković.

Prior to the ceremony, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces laid a wreath and lit a candle at the Memorial “Suza” (Tear) to honour the fallen and missing Croatian defenders and civilians in the Homeland War.

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