On the occasion of the 28^th anniversary of the establishment of the Croatian Armed Forces, Croatian leadership headed by the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Gordan Jandroković and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković laid wreaths and paid respects to the first Croatian president Franjo Tuđman, the Minister of Defence during the Homeland War (1991-1995) Gojko Šušak and all fallen Croatian defenders in Mirogoj Cemetery in Zagreb.

Alongside Prime Minister Plenković, respects were paid by the envoy of the President of Republic of Croatia Zrinko Petener, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence Damir Krstičević, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of European and Foreign Affairs Marija Pejčinović Burić, the Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović, the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces Mirko Šundov, the Mayor of Zagreb Milan Bandić, legendary Croatian pilot and Homeland War hero Rudolf Perešin’s widow Ljerka Perešin as well as other senior state and military officials.

Joint wreaths were laid on monument “Voice of Croatian Victims – Wall of Pain”, under the central cross in the Alley of Fallen Croatian Defenders, on the tomb of Croatia’s first president Franjo Tuđman and on the tomb of unidentified Homeland War victims at the Crematorium in Zagreb.

After wreaths had been laid, Minister Krstičević congratulated the Croatian Armed Forces on their anniversary and emphasized: “We started the formal commemoration of the 28^th anniversary of the establishment of the Croatian Armed Forces by paying respects to the first Croatian president Franjo Tuđman, the Minister of Defence during the Homeland War Gojko Šušak and all deceased Homeland War combatants who made a huge contribution to Croatia’s freedom and the development of the Croatian Armed Forces. The Croatian Armed Forces were established in the Homeland War and are a guarantee for peace and stability in Croatia today, continuing the tradition of Homeland War combatants.”

General Mirko Šundov congratulated the Croatian Armed Forces and the Croatian Army on the 28^th anniversary of their establishment, highlighting his pride for being the chief of general staff of armed forces that inherited the tradition of the Homeland War and served Croatia’s citizens.

Delegations from the Ministry of Defence and the Croatian Armed Forces laid wreaths and lit candles on the graves of deceased Croatian ministers of defence and chiefs of general staff. Wreaths were laid on the grave of the late Minister of Defence Branko Vukelić in the village of Vukmanić, under the central cross in Jamadol Cemetery in Karlovac, on the grave of the late Minister of Defence Šime Đodan in Boninovo Cemetery in Split and under the central crosses in Lovrinac Cemetery in Split and Miroševac Cemetery in Zagreb.

Text by INDEPENDENT PUBLIC RELATIONS AND PUBLISHING SERVICE

Photo by TOMISLAV BRANDT

Translation by IVA GUGO