President Milanović Tells Members of “Pumas” Battalion in Varaždin: You are the Croatian Army and Croatia is your first priority
The President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović visited today the 7th Guards Brigade “Pumas” Barracks in Varaždin, where he attended a ceremony marking 2nd Mechanized Battalion “Pumas” Day, at which the members of the battalion were presented with berets, certificates of promotion, commendations and awards.
“Congratulations on your Day, which still carries the same weight after 31 years. You stand on the shoulders of giants who stood there before you, people who died, people who are alive, people who defended Croatia and then liberated Croatia,” said President Milanović in his address to the members of the “Pumas” Battalion. He added that the text of their oath contains one sentence that refers to their commitment to be morally intact, physically strong and mentally stable. “How to make the right decision about what is moral? The Croatian Constitution is the formal moral criterion that every soldier must adhere to – the hierarchies and orders of superiors and the value of the letter of the Croatian Constitution. That is above everything,” he said.
“You are the Croatian Army, defend Croatia and serve Croatia. Wherever and whenever some of you go abroad to the West to study, remember that Croatia comes first! Defending Croatia, its territorial integrity and independence, its constitutional order – this always comes first because it must be the point of orientation,” President Milanović emphasized, adding that everything else is an open approach of partnership and alliance “without fraud and deceit, but taking into account that you are Croatian soldiers, that you are defending the Croatian Constitution, and that this is your moral law!”
“Dear soldiers, dear “Pumas,” as we remember once again all those who died and gave their lives in our war – the giants on whose shoulders you stand and in a way we all stand and sustain ourselves – I wish you a Merry Christmas, I wish you health, prudence and clarity in choosing between what is moral and immoral. I am confident you won’t make a mistake. Faithful to the homeland!,” concluded the Croatian President.
After the berets, certificates of promotion, commendations and awards were presented, a wreath-laying and candle-lighting in memory of the fallen Croatian defenders took place in the Chapel of Saint George. The following officials accompanied the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces: 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 Defence and National Security Dragan Lozančić, Commander of the Croatian Army Lieutenant General Boris Šerić, First NCO of the Croatian Armed Forces Sergeant Major Dražen Klanjec, Commander of the Guards Armoured Mechanized Brigade of the Croatian Army Colonel Valentin Skroza, Staff Officer in the Military Office of the Cabinet for Defence and National Security in the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia Colonel Ivica Kranjčević, Aide-de-Camp to the President of the Republic of Croatia Colonel Vlado Čulina, Commander of the 2nd Mechanized Battalion “Pumas” Major Krunoslav Slavinec.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Ana Marija Katić