From dreams to victory

The first Croatian president, Dr. Franjo Tuđman, left a lasting mark in the history of the Croatian people as a statesman, dissident, prisoner, historian, commander, politician, visionary, and above all a born victor

The first Croatian president, Dr. Franjo Tuđman, left a lasting mark in the history of the Croatian people as a statesman, dissident, prisoner, historian, commander, politician, visionary, and above all a born victor. The dream of an independent, sovereign and internationally recognised Croatian state was his foremost goal, to which he devoted most of his life. Waiting patiently for the right moment, using wisdom and knowledge he recognised the ground-breaking moments in the European continent to realise the millennial dream of freedom, independence and sovereignty of Croatia.

Although he was imprisoned because of his ideas and views on Croats and the Croatian state, it had not discouraged him but rather motivated him to continue the quest for the best way to realise the goal.

Today, after time has passed, we should consider the circumstances amid which it all happened, with inexistent democracy, pluralism or free media in Croatia, and the international community which bitterly declined any possibility of independent Croatia.

The Croatian people, divided among emigrants, who had to leave Croatia at the cost of lives or refused to live in the new country and those who remained or simply did not want to live in the new country, those who remained and perhaps fought for minimum human rights through the existing institutions but also those who did not want independent Croatia at all.

The painful experience with the Croatian national liberal movement of 1971 (“the Croatian Spring”),  when many young Croatian od part of the Croatian youth and intellectuals were imprisoned for dreaming of independence of Croatia further complicated by the already difficult circumstances.

It took a trusted leader and a person with courage, impertinence, skills and knowledge as well as a clear vision and bravery to seize the moment and realise it at any cost.  

It was necessary to unite the opposing sides –the emigrants and those who stayed – because in the crucial moments each individual counted, and fortunately there was Franjo Tuđman.

The years of Tuđman’s presidency comprised the Homeland War, unprecedented destruction and aggression on the Republic of Croatia, but nothing could halt the enthusiasm and the desire of Croats to live in their own state.

When in the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube region into the constitutional and legal order of the Republic of Croatia was completed in 1998, the dreams and the lifetime achievement of independence, sovereignty and international recognition of Franjo Tuđman, the first Croatian president, came true.


As the Supreme Commander of the Croatian Army, Franjo Tuđman led the operations liberating Maslenica, Novsko ždrilo, Zemunik and the Peruča Dam, as well as military and police operations liberating the occupied areas of western Slavonia (Operation “Lightning”) and of Dalmatia, Lika, Banovina and Kordun (Operation “Storm”) in 1995.  When the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danubian Basin into the constitutional order of the Republic of Croatia ended in 1998, the dreams and life of Franjo Tuđman, the first Croatian president, of full independence, sovereignty and international recognition of the Republic of Croatia came true.

Franjo Tuđman died on 10 December 1999 in Zagreb after a long illness. He was buried on 13 December in the Mirogoj Cemetery at the beginning of the main alley.


Franjo Tuđman was elected President of the Presidency of the then Socialist Republic of Croatia on 30 May 1990. After the adoption of the new democratic Constitution of the Republic of Croatia on 22 December 1990, Tuđman was elected President of the Republic in direct elections in August 1992 and was re-elected in direct elections in June 1997.


In an extremely complex and crucial period for Croatia from 1990 on Franjo Tuđman took on a huge responsibility of seizing the right moment and creating a state that generations had dreamed of, with all institutions of modern democratic states and a geopolitical entity .


When one of the first significant diplomatic victories was achieved with the international recognition of Croatia on 15 January 1992, the path to full independence and sovereignty within its borders was established, but was equally hard and cost the lives of many Croatian veterans.

21. obljetnica smrti dr. Franje Tuđmana: Od snova do pobjede