President Milanović Decorates Croatian Defenders and Tells Them: The awareness of what you did for Croatia is increasingly strong among the people

“The care and awareness in Croatia that what you did was great and not repeated is not only not stopping but is, I deeply feel and notice, deeper and deeper and stronger and stronger among our people. Some disagreements, dilemmas and doubts we had about ourselves for a reason, very often without a reason under external pressure, have fallen into place in the meantime. And I think that now we all know together what was good – that’s almost everything, what was not good – some things, and what was bad – there is that, too, but there was little of it and a high price was paid for it,” the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović told Croatian defenders from the Homeland War at a ceremony in the Office of the President, where he presented them with decorations.

“Soon it will be 30 years since the final military operations for the liberation of Croatia. Croatia was defended in 1991 and in 1992, and finally liberated in 1995,” said President Milanović, adding that today, 30 years later, we can reflect on this, analyse and conclude some things. “As a state and society, we have made progress in many things and regressed in some things, but the path you have treaded, which was cleared thanks to you, has been unique,” he emphasized.

President Milanović reminded that the conditions in which Croatia was first defended, and then liberated, were difficult and unprecedented. “Recognized yet unrecognised, assisted yet left in the lurch, encouraged yet under constant threats with sanctions and international measures. One had to survive that,” said the President, pointing out that no other European nation – until the Ukrainian war – went through such suffering, challenges and tests. “That’s something one should be proud of, but also aware of the exceptional and outstanding circumstances and success which that victory represented,” concluded President Milanović, congratulating Croatian Homeland War defenders on the well-deserved decorations of the Republic of Croatia that he presented to them.

A special unit of the General Staff of the Croatian Army, the “Matija Vlačić” Battalion, was decorated with the Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski for bravery and a deed of valour in the Homeland War. The decoration and emblem were accepted by Battalion Commander Ante Maksan and Battalion member Željko Ravlić.  

The Order of Ban Jelačić was posthumously awarded to Zoran Šipoš and Zvonko Čukelj for their extraordinary successful command of units of the Croatian Armed Forces, and for extraordinary military services in their organization and development. For participating and being seriously wounded in the Homeland War, Zoran Šorli, Ivan Jazvić and Bernardin Jelinić were decorated with the Order of the Croatian Cross.

For extraordinary services to the Republic of Croatia in a state of war, the Order of the Croatian Trefoil was posthumously bestowed upon Violeta Antolić, Anto Jakovljević, Đuro Sabadoš, Dragutin Bedžula, Damir Pavičić, Dubravko Ivanković, Ljubomir Đukić, Dražen Vrtarić, Josip Osrečki, Jozo Čavar, Stjepan Sarić, Verica Marunček, Zlatko Zupković, Zoran Marunček, Stanko Pločkinić, Anđelko Kralj, Antun Slivka and Jure Bušljeta.

For extraordinary contributions to the development and standing of the Republic of Croatia, the Order of the Croatian Interlace was posthumously bestowed upon Josip Ćaleta, Mirko Brođanac, Antun Braovac, Davor Kovačić, Berislav Medić, Damir Stojanović, Danijel Šikić, Drago Bubnjić, Ivan Ivanišević, Jelena Vučetić, Josip Kolarić, Marinko Mamić, Marko Dragičević, Siniša Podhraški, Violeta Grdić, Zvonimir Brčić, Ivica Grgić, Snježana Patko, Tomica Svalina, Mario Dadić, Boško Perić, Dragutin Perša, Predrag Petrić, Pavao Stipanović, Kazimir Stjepanović, Zlatko Stojić, Miroslav Vrčković, Bariša Marević and Branko Bartolec.

The Homeland War Memorial Medal was awarded to Danijel Šikić, Anđelko Musić, Blaž Naletilić and Nenad Šipoš for their participation in the Homeland War.

Wartime Commander of the “Matija Vlačić” Battalion Ante Maksan expressed gratitude for the decorations on behalf of those who received the awards, pointing out that the Battalion members and all the decorated Croatian defenders are proud and honoured to have the opportunity to come to the Office of the President and receive the decorations. “Today, you made it possible for us to gather together again after so many years, to see how many of us are still alive. Thank you for that,” said wartime Commander Ante Maksan.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta, Ana Marija Katić