President Milanović Decorates Croatian Veterans and Tells Them: The truth and your contribution to the defense of Croatia must not be forgotten

The President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović today bestowed decorations upon veterans of the Homeland War. At a ceremony held in the Office of the President, decorations were presented to the defenders of Dubrovnik, war volunteers and members of the Croatian Navy, members of the 156^th Brigade from Makarska and members of the 15^th Anti-tank Artillery Division from Križevci. Lieutenant Colonel Darko Banjeglav, a member of the 105^th Brigade and 52^nd Home Guard Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Tihomil Žiger, a war physician, and Tomislav Štimac, a member of the 204^th Brigade, were also decorated.

“You come from two areas of Croatia, from the coast and the continental part, but what unites us is the memory of the glorious days when, more than thirty years ago, a small number of people defended Croatia,” President Milanović said in his address. He said that, despite the fact that thirty years have passed since the Homeland War, some things are becoming clearer than they were then.

“Our task is to preserve the memory of the truth – and the truth was mostly pure and good for us – not to lose it, to cherish it… not as propaganda, but as a debt of honor towards what you gave, as did those who are not here today, in order for Croatia to defend itself,” said President Milanović, adding that Croatia was defending itself then in very difficult conditions, without international aid and under an embargo, and “without gratitude for what Croatia has done not only for itself, but also for the region and some others, who after thirty years want to settle scores and do not want to see the obvious,” he said.

“We have a state that has been rounded off as a historical project, a historical mission that generations of our people thought about and hoped to accomplish. You participated in it with your heart, taking big risks when things were uncertain and when nothing was guaranteed. It had to be fought for, and there was little help from outside Croatia. This makes your merit and contribution greater,” President Milanović concluded.

For a deed of valour in the Homeland War, the Order of Nikola Šubić Zrinski was bestowed upon Darko Banjeglav. The Order of Ban Jelačić was presented to Professor Dr. Tihomil Žiger for extraordinary services in the organization and command of the medical service of the 67^th Military Police Battalion. For being seriously wounded in the Homeland War, the Order of the Croatian Cross was awarded to Luka Vuletić, while Željko Đuratović, Željko Bašica, Siniša Bačić, Ivica Marić and Risto Kureš were posthumously decorated with the Order of the Croatian Trefoil for extraordinary services to the Republic of Croatia in a state of war.

The following individuals were also decorated with the Order of the Croatian Trefoil: Mato Barišić, Dobroslav Kostić, Ivica Matijaš, Miho Pejdar, Fabijan Vukić, Petar Srijemsi, Lovorko Klešković, Marin Lale, Ivica Matijević, Ante Radić, Stojan Krkić, Vlaho Radičević, Milenko Šare, Bruno Tomičić, Jerko Mikulić, Nikša Iveta, Željko Čotra, Vlaho Obradović, Dragan Klepo, Neven Stjepović, Matko Andrijašević, Ivan Glibota, Igor Filipeti, Dalibor Katić, Stjepan Kotarac, Nenad Radojković, Mirko Pranić, Stanko Primorac, Stevo Mladenović, Stjepan Belušić, Milan Čorak, Željko Knapić, Zrinko Grganić.

Tomislav Štimac was presented with the Order of the Croatian Interlace for extraordinary contributions to the development and standing of the Republic of Croatia, and to the welfare of its citizens, as well as with the Homeland War Memorial Medal.

Expressing his gratitude for the decorations, Mr. Darko Banjeglava said that the decorations that were conferred testify to their righteousness and the fact that the sacrifice and “pain, injuries and lives of many” were not in vain. “Even today, as we strive to keep the truth from being forgotten, we know that this is the price we had to pay, as we dreamed and fought for a free Croatia. This act also promotes the truth about the value of the Homeland War, embedded in the foundations of the modern Croatian state, and cherishes the memory of the sacrifice of every Croatian and all those who kept Croatia in their hearts,” said Mr. Banjeglava.

Except for the decorated Croatian veterans and members of their families, the award ceremony was attended by the President of the Association of the 156^th Brigade of the Croatian Army Stjepan Kotarac, President of the Croatian Navy Association of Dubrovnik Želimir Čizmić, President of the 15^th mixed anti-tank Artillery Division of Križevci Željko Topolovec and the mayors of Križevci and Makarska Mario Rajn and Dr. Zoran Paunović.

President Milanović was accompanied at the ceremony by the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Admiral Robert Hranj, Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Defense Ivica Olujić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for National Security Dragan Lozančić, Head of the Military Office in the Cabinet For Defense and National Security in the Office of the President Rear Admiral Predrag Stipanović, Aide-de-Camp to the President of the Republic Colonel Vlado Čulina and the NCO for IT support of the Military Office in the Cabinet for Defense and National Security Sergeant Major Hrvoje Krajačić.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić, Dario Andrišek