President Milanović tells members of the Honorary and Protection Battalion: Never forget where you’re from and where you belong
“To you the Croatian guard, the Croatian elite, I wish you to aspire to the highest achievements, but never forget that along with this is the awareness of who you are, what you are, where you’re from and where you belong. And only if you care, can our country move forward and survive. To others it doesn’t matter!”, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović told members of the Honorary and Protection Battalion (PZB) during a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of the formation of the 1st Croatian Guards Corps, Honorary and Protection Battalion Day and “Saint Valentine Military Chaplaincy Day”.
Referring to the members of the Honorary and Protection Battalion as military elite, the President indicated that the elite in an army is selected because “it cannot exist without criteria, it is measured by it. The elite in your case is the elite that assembled in the hardest of times in Croatian history, led and directed by a small number of good people”, he added, recalling the role of Croatian defenders and members of the PZB not only in the liberation of Croatia but of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well.
“Some of them ended their path by liberating Bosnia and Herzegovina which can function today and be a free country. Because it’s not American or French airplanes, but the Croatian soldiers, the Croatian guard that achieved this. There are still wounded people around us, and the dead we remember. In that spirit we always get together – not to forget the heroes and the things that matter to us. That Bosnia and Herzegovina today witnesses the trampling of the rights of Croats, and the Croatian army was not accidentally there, it was there for a reason. Both the deputy commander of the Honorary and Protection Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Marko Čičak and retired Lieutenant General, former commander of the 1st Croatian Guards Corps Mile Ćuk originate from that state, and they defended Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia there. I’m saying this so that it not be forgotten and not forget the heroes”, President Milanović noted.
In his address President Milanović gave special thanks to the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces (CAF) Admiral Robert Hranj, whose term ends soon. “Our admiral has been a soldier for 40 years. From the Croatian Kajkavian north he chose an uncommon path and made his way with knowledge, expertise, outstanding results and his approach to things. It’s not by chance that he became the chief of Croatian defence, i.e. the Chief of the General Staff. I am happy and pleased to have had the opportunity to work with such a man”, President Milanović stated and concluded – “Admiral, congratulations and best wishes for a new start”.
The Chief of the General Staff of the CAF Admiral Robert Hranj also congratulated the members of the Honorary and Protection Battalion, and underlined the former members of the 1st Croatian Guards Corps, a unit for which he said that, along with all other duties, it also participated in the Homeland War in which it stood out for its successes and courage. “I wish to thank each and every one of them for choosing a calling to serve the homeland, especially during the Homeland War. This is an occasion to remember all those who participated in the Homeland War, and with a special reverence remember those who laid down their lives”, Admiral Hranj stated.
“Today the Honorary and Protection Battalion is a modern elite unit. It has exceptionally important tasks on the one hand, and on the other its members must have special knowledge, skills, physical and mental aptitudes in order to carry out these tasks. I call upon them to be even better than until now, to justify the epithet of an elite unit and they be a top-class unit in the future”, the Chief of the General Staff of the CAF Admiral Robert Hranj told the members of the Honorary and Protection Battalion.
“First and foremost to be a member of the Honorary and Protection Battalion is honour and pride, but also a big commitment because – honour, duty, homeland – are a strong imperative to be ready at every moment to accept new challenges and tasks – and always be bold and motivated to fully respond to them in the best way”, the commander of the Battalion Colonel Tihomir Zebec told the members of the Battalion. He added that the Honorary and Protection Battalion has a quality and a force that were achieved with knowledge, experience and the community spirit of the members who were members of the 1st Croatian Guards Corps.
The Honorary and Protection Battalion is a company in charge of the external security of protected facilities, the entry points to the protected facilities, and the security of the Tuškanac barracks. Security is assured continuously, in all weather conditions, in various forms, predetermined forces, security resources and measures. The scope of the work includes preventive action from attacks, destruction, theft and damage, and discovering secret information. Their primary task is the security of entry points, physical security controls of people and vehicles entering the complex of the Office of the President of the Republic and the Tuškanac barracks, and security of facilities and perimeters within them.
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the formation of the 1st Croatian Guards Corps and Honorary and Protection Battalion Day, the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović decorated and commended members of the Honorary and Protection Battalion. For outstanding services to the Republic of Croatia acquired in the war, direct war activities and in exceptional circumstances in peace, Lieutenant Colonel Marko Čičak, deputy commander of the Honorary and Protection Battalion, is awarded the Order of the Croatian Trefoil.
For special contribution to the development and standing of the Republic of Croatia and the well-being of its citizens, the Order of the Croatian Interlace is awarded the following: Major Alen Harambašić, Captain Kristina Kojundžić, Sergeant Major Alen Hodak, Sergeant Major Krešimir Naglić, Master Sergeant Tomislav Brezovec, Master Sergeant Goran Burazor, Master Sergeant Vatroslav Drmić, Master Sergeant Munib Hadžić, Master Sergeant Blaško Mudifaj and Master Sergeant Krunoslav Posavec.
For honourable and excellent service the Homeland Gratitude Memorial Medal is awarded to Sergeant First Class Janko Kralj. For outstanding above-average results in carrying out assigned tasks Captain Mladen Horvat, Master Sergeant Ivan Šiprak, Sergeant First Class Valentina Kekelj and Sergeant First Class Marin Kovačec received a commendation from the Commander in Chief.
Also speaking at the ceremony in addition to President Milanović, Admiral Hranj and Colonel Tihomir Zebec was the State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence and delegate of the Prime Minister Zdravko Jakop. Speaking on behalf of the decorated, commended and awarded members of the Honorary and Protection Battalion was deputy commander Lieutenant Colonel Marko Čičak.
Alongside President Milanović were the Head of the Office of the President Orsat Miljenić, the Adviser to the President for Defence Ivica Olujić, the Adviser to the President for National Security Dragan Lozančić, the Secretary-General of the Office of the President Dinko Suton, the Special Adviser to the President for Homeland War Veterans Marijan Mareković, the Special Adviser to the President for the Economy Velibor Mačkić, the Assistant Head of the Cabinet of the President Goran Grobotek, the Aide-de-Camp to the President Vlado Čulina, the Staff officer for Operational Support in the Military Office of the Cabinet for Defence and National Security Lieutenant Colonel Siniša Marić and Staff NCO for IT Sergeant Major Hrvoje Krajačić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas, Tomislav Bušljeta