Croatia celebrates Armed Forces Day

Croatia celebrated Armed Forces Day on Thursday, marking the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the Croatian Army. On May 28th in 1991, the first ceremonial review of the National Guard Corps was held at the Zagreb Football Club's stadium in Zagreb.

On the occasion of Armed Forces Day a formal reception was held in Zagreb, gathering active and former military and political leaders, as well as representatives from various religious communities in Croatia.

In his address the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, General Tihomir Kundid, noted that armies around the world are being forced to adapt to the changing nature of warfare.

"Modern conflicts are changing their characteristics and armed forces must adapt. They must equip themselves and develop new operational capabilities, in order to continue to be a relevant force for future conflicts. However, the strength of the army does not lie solely in our weapons, investing in people also ensures the future of the armed forces," General Kundid said.

Speaking to reporters prior to the ceremony, retired General Ante Gotovina emphasized the Croatian Army’s role in establishing a free and democratic Croatia: "The Croatian Armed Forces did their job. The liberated the country of occupying forces, integrated the occupied territories into the constitutional order of our homeland, defeated the aggressor, and brought security and freedom within our borders."

Meanwhile, cadets from the "Josip Jović" Police Academy are carrying the eternal flame from the Memorial Cemetery of the Victims of the Homeland War in Vukovar to the Altar of the Homeland in Zagreb. They are scheduled to arrive on Statehood Day, this Saturday. The Head of the educational group at the "Josip Jović" Police Academy, Mario Bukovec: "The students of the Josip Jović Police School have been given the honorable task of carrying the eternal flame from Vukovar to the altar of the Homeland. We are going by bicycle, we have split the 315 kilometers into two days, so we have a long journey ahead of us."

Source: HRT