President Milanović Receives Retired Croatian Defence Council (HVO) Officers

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović received in his Office retired officers and wartime commanders of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO), with whom he discussed HVO’s role in defending Croats in all parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the contribution of HVO members to defending Croatia during the Homeland War.

Retired HVO officers thanked President Milanović for his decision last year to decorate the HVO guards brigades and the MUP HR HB Special Police on the occasion of the 25^th anniversary of Croatia’s liberating Operation Storm. Also, they welcomed President Milanović’s consistency in his position on Croats as a constituent people in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

President Milanović thanked the retired HVO officers for their contribution to the defence of Croatia and reiterated that Croatia will persist in protecting the rights of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina as an equal and constituent people.

The following individuals attended the meeting with President Milanović: Vice President of the Croatian Generals Association Retired General Ljubo Ćesić Rojs; Wartime Commander of the Vitez Command Area and Wartime Chief of the General Staff of HVO Retired General Tihomir Blaškić; Retired HVO General and Croatian Army Brigadier General Ivica Primorac; Wartime Commander of the Bosanska Posavina Command Area Retired General Đuro Matuzović; Wartime Commander of the defence of Mostar Retired HVO General Ilija Vrlić; Wartime Commander of the HVO Air Force Retired Colonel Nedeljko Perić; Wartime Commander of the Posušje Regiment and the 66^th Road Construction Regiment Retired Colonel Ivan Bago; Wartime Commander of the Livno Special Police Retired Lieutenant Colonel Jure Granić; Commander of the 1^st ABB Livno Battalion Retired Major Boško Barać; Retired Wartime Medical Service Chief of the Tomislavgrad Command Area Dr. Josip Perić; Retired HVO Assistant Wartime Commander of the Žepče Command Area Vinko Marić.

Special Adviser to the President of the Republic for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković attended the meeting alongside President Milanović.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta