President Milanović Attends HVIDRA Velika Gorica 30th Anniversary Ceremony
The President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović attended a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Croatian Disabled Homeland War Veterans’ Association (HVIDRA) of Velika Gorica.
In his address at the ceremony, President Milanović said that it is an undisputed truth that if there were no Croatian defenders and soldiers, there would be no Croatia. “The more time passes, the farther we are from that, the clearer those things are,” the President underscored, thanking all Croatian defenders.
“Thirty years ago, your association was founded. It was a time after the Sarajevo armistice, a time of uncertainty, fear and doubt. Thirty years later, it is clear what happened then and how great, successful and powerful that endeavour was,” President Milanović said, announcing his visit to Livno tomorrow.
“Thirty years ago tomorrow, Dalmatia and Split were defended in the Livno area. I’m going to visit our brothers and sisters in Bosnia and Herzegovina, independent Bosnia and Herzegovina, to which we have no pretensions or ambitions, but we do have the duty and the will to protect the political rights of Croats. That assistance is not, cannot and will not be military and armed as it was 30 years ago,” President Milanović said, concluding that at the time Croatia depended on a very small number of brave people who are today Croatian defenders, Croatian soldiers and Croatian liberators.
Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković was alongside President Milanović at the ceremony.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Marko Beljan