The graduates comprised the 22^nd generation of the War School “Ban Josip Jelačić” (18 students), the 28^th generation of the Command and Staff School “Blago Zadro” (40 students), the 19^th generation of the Basic Officer School (98 students) and the 23^rd generation of the Basic Officer School (Air Force), as well as the 18th generation of the Senior NCO training (15 participants). They were presented with diplomas and other symbols of graduation (ranks, rings, officers daggers), and the best participants were presented with special awards and commendations.

The ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović as Supreme Commander of the Croatian Armed Forces, by the State Secretary for Defence Tomislav Ivić as Envoy of the Prime Minister, by the Envoy of the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Miroslav Tuđman, by the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Admiral Robert Hranj, by the State Secretary for Defence Zdravko Jakop, by the Commander of the Croatian Defence Academy Major General Mate Pađen, by the Rector of the University of Zagreb Damir Boras, by the commanders of the services and units of the Croatian Armed Forces,  by representatives of the Office to  the President, of the Ministry of Defence, of universities and of research institutions and by the members of the Military Diplomatic Corps.

Congratulating the graduates the State Secretary for Defence Tomislav Ivić as Envoy of the Prime Minister presented the future development of the Croatian Defence Academy, prepared for by the adoption of the Act on the Founding of the Defence and Security University.  “We have also directed our efforts on the upgrade and building of new infrastructure in the Croatian Defence Academy, as evidenced by the new accommodation facility and the upgraded sporting facilities, and we are also building a congress centre, with the support by the Croatian Government, to provide the future University with a modern campus”, concluded State Secretary Ivić. The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović extended congratulations on the successful completion of the education: “You have completed solid and strict education programmes and will be assigned to your units and missions in Croatia and within the international military co-operation and collective defence activities. In a year’s time the world will be even tighter connected but also more complicated, making your role of guarding the Croatian independence and sovereignty more demanding, but also serene and admired, I hope, and a direction for your careers and families”, said President Milanović.The Chief of General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Admiral Robert Hranj stated that the students’ profiles themselves reflected the focus on life-long learning. “I am pleading with  you to be ambitious in your future career, to set high aims and strive for excellence, stated Admiral Hranj, sharing his pride over the Croatian Defence Academy’s prospective transformation into a modern educational and research institution.

Bidding welcome to the students and visitors, the Commander of the Croatian Defence Academy Major General Mate Pađen stressed that the past academic year was particularly challenging in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and the earthquake, which forced the Academy to adjust the training process within short time to enable the students to complete their education. A total of 177 students successfully completed their training at military schools (155 members of the Croatian Armed Forces, a  student from the Ministry of the Interior and a student from the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs respectively, a student from the Croatian Fire Association and 19 foreign students of officer and NCO schools (ten students from Bosnia and Herzegovina, three students from Montenegro, three students from North Macedonia, two students from Slovenia and one student from the Republic of Kosovo. The ceremony featured a ceremonial drill by the Honorary Battalion and performances by the Croatian Navy Vocal Ensemble “Sveti Juraj“ and by the Croatian Armed Forces Orchestra.