The barracks “Croatia“ in Zagreb on 24 August 2016 hosted the formal ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of military police in the Croatian Armed Forces, the military police combat support branch and the Military Police Regiment Day. 

The ceremony was attended by the Defence and National Security Advisor to the President of the Republic, Maja Čavlović, the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, General Mirko Šundov, the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs Tomo Medved, the Chief Defence Inspector and the Envoy of the Defence Minister, Major General Slaven Zdilar, the Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General  Drago Matanović, the Croatian Army Commander, Lieutenant General Mate Ostović, the Commander of the Support Command, Major General Mladen Fuzul, the Director of the Military Security and Intelligence Agency, Brigadier General Ivica Kinder, the Head of the Military Police Service of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, Colonel Vlado Kovačević, the Commander of the Military Police Regiment, Colonel Mate Radoš, the former and present commanders and members of the Military Police. 

The Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, General Mirko Šundov, recalled in his address that the members of Military Police took part in combat operations since 1991, proving their traindness and readiness in the exercise of the most complex tasks. General Šundov also honoured to the sacrifice by the military policemen and their families and addressed the peacetime for the military police.  

“The post-Homeland War period required adjustment to altered strategic and doctrinary solutions. Military Police tailored its structure, trainng and education to the needs of the transforming defence system. Military Police members proved their abilities at home and in international engagements alike. I wish to emphasise that a MP platoon was  the first Croatian unit deployed to ISAF in Afghanistan“. General Šundov extended congratulations to the members of the Military Police underlining that “their efficient, responsible and above all professional performance in the international peace support operations and missions, in international exercises and in the MNMPBAT allows me to say that the Military Police of the Croatian Armed Forces have over the past 25 years grown into a branch capable of fulfilling the most demanding tasks in their area of responsibility“. The Defence and National Security Advisor to the President of the Republic, Maja Čavlović, a former member of the Military Police herself, looked back on the history of the branch: “On this day 25 years ago the first Croatian President, Franjo Tuđman ordered the establishment of military police within the then Croatian National Guard. Military Police followed a singular path of hardship and glory. Established amidst the aggression on the Republic of Croatia and combat, it grew through the campaigns of the Homeland War despite the initial underequippedness and lack of experience, led by patriotism and sacrifice of the first members. Military Police fought side by side with other units during the Homeland war, including the final operations (“Lightning“ and “Storm“), developing  MP specialties throughout the period. The Croatian Military Police had 120 fallen members and seven more are still missing“. 

Addressing the post-war period, the President’s Envoy underlined that Military Police was an engine of the Croatian Armed Forces leading them towards major engagement in the international co-operation activities, exercises and operations and completed all tasks efficiently and honourably. 

The Head of the Military Police Service of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, Colonel Vlado Kovačević congratulated the present and the former members of Military Police the respectable anniversary and recalled that the Military Police was established as early as the Croatian Army itself. “Members of the Military Police were engaged in the defence of Croatia as early as in 1991, at all battlefields. They took part in the liberating operations “Lightning“ and “Storm“, carrying out policing and combat tasks, where necessary. As many as 120 military policemen lost their lives“.   

Colonel Kovačević reminded of the peacetime challenges for Military Police. “In the post-war years Military Police continued exercising its routine tasks and acquired new skills and knowledge. Thus in 2003 a Military Police unit was the first Croatian unit qualified for engagement in peace support operations and was deployed to ISAF in Afghanistan“. 

The Croatian Military Police was designated as Lead Nation in the MP School of the Afghanistan National Army. Likewise, Military Police has been engaged in NATO Multinational Military Police Battalion (MNMPBAT) and in NATO Centre of Excellence in Poland.“ 

The ceremony featured the exercises displaying the capabilities of the members of the MP Regiment of the Croatian Armed Forces, a martial arts display, a military working dog handler and dog skills display, a protection of attacked VIPs. A static display was staged on the occasion, and the meriting individuals were presented with commendations and awards. A day earlier wreaths were laid in respect of the fallen members of Military Police and other members of the Croatian Armed Forces and the victims of the Homeland War. A memorial mass for the victims of the War was served in the Church Sveta Mati Slobode in Zagreb.