On August 5, the Croatian people proudly and deeply respect the Victory and Homeland Gratitude Day, the Croatian Defenders' Day, and the anniversary of the magnificent Military-Police Operation Storm – one of the most famous victories in recent Croatian history. That day will forever remain a symbol of courage, unity, and the unwavering determination of the Croatian people to defend their homeland and win freedom.
Operation Storm demonstrated the strength, professionalism, and determination of the Croatian Army and Police. In just a few days, a large part of the temporarily occupied Croatian territory was liberated and an organized armed rebellion in that area was crushed, creating the conditions for the end of the Homeland War and the establishment of the constitutional order of the Republic of Croatia. With their knowledge, courage, and unity, the Croatian defenders wrote pages of history that will forever remain the pride of the Croatian people.
However, no victory has been achieved without sacrifice. The freedom we live in today was paid for with the lives of Croatian defenders and all those who sacrificed their health, youth, and future for the defense of the homeland. With deep reverence, we remember all the fallen, missing and deceased Croatian defenders. Their sacrifice is permanently woven into the foundations of the Republic of Croatia, and their names will remain forever written in the hearts of the Croatian people.
We sincerely thank all the Croatian defenders who stood up to defend the homeland when it was most needed. Thanks to their courage, today we live in a free, sovereign and internationally recognized Republic of Croatia. Their sacrifice obliges us to preserve the truth about the Homeland War, to foster unity and to build a Croatia worthy of their sacrifice.
On the occasion of this great day, I send my sincere congratulations and warm greetings to all Croatians, both in the homeland and around the world, from the City of Heroes – Vukovar. May our common love for Croatia always unite us and remind us of those who gave us freedom.
I also invite you all to gather on August 29th in the Heroic City – Vukovar, so that we can once again pay tribute to the Croatian defenders, remember their sacrifices and together celebrate the victory, freedom and pride of our homeland.
May eternal glory and thanks be to all the fallen, missing and deceased Croatian defenders. May God protect Croatia, and may the memory of our heroes live forever in the hearts of present and future generations.
Long live Croatia!