Croatia celebrates victory in the Homeland War (Photo gallery)

Croatia celebrates the Day of Victory, Homeland Gratitude, and Croatian Veterans today, as well as the 30th anniversary of the military-police liberation operation Storm. Almost a fifth of the country was liberated in just three days. About 200,000 defenders took part in the action, and 243 of them gave their lives for our freedom. 30 years ago on this day in 1995, Knin, the center of the Serbian rebellion, was liberated, and the Croatian flag flew over the Knin fortress, since then it has been raised on the fortress every year. As of this morning Knin was full of visitors and almost the entire state leadership was there. 

The traditional commemoration of Operation Storm in Knin began with a wakeup call in the city streets at 6:30 a.m. Wreaths were laid at the Ante Starčević Square, a ceremonial procession and a report to the Minister of Defense Ivan Anušić were held at the Dinara football club stadium, and the central point of the commemoration was the raising of the Croatian flag on the Knin fortress.

At 9:43 bells in Knin rang that remind us of the time when 30 years ago, members of the 7th PUMA'S guards' brigade raised the Croatian flag on the Knin fortress.

In Operation Storm, 243 defenders were killed, 1,430 were wounded, and two are still missing. The fortress once again echoed with the names of those killed and missing in Operation Storm as each name was read out.

Traditionally, a representative of the veteran population addressed the gathering in Knin, this year it was the president of the Association of Veterans of the Fourth Guards Brigade Borislav Lapenda, who said that the memories of Operation Storm were as vivid as if they were yesterday.

“I would like to say to our youth to continue to build our Homeland on the firm foundation which contains all of our victims and all of our contribution to the defense, liberation and Creatian of our Croatian state,” said Lapenda.

The gathering at the Dinara stadium was addressed on behalf of the President of the Republic and the Supreme Commander by his advisor and one of the war time commanders from Operation Storm, General Marijan Mareković.

“These days we are especially proud of the great military parade that showed the strength, diversity and unity of Croatia. That parade testifies to our determination to preserve the peace, stability and security of our citizens,” said Mareković.

“Operation Storm was a turning point that brought peace to this region,” said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

“Operation Storm was not only a military action, it was a historic turnaround. It was the biggest land battle in Europe at that time since the Second World War, that broke the Greater Serbia project and defeated the aggressor that for years held more than a quarter of Croatian territory under occupation. Storm deeply changed the military and geopolitical order of South East Europe,” said the Prime Minister.

“As the song says, the flag isn't only fabric, at that moment it was a symbol of generational transition and transfer of the heritage of values from the Homeland War to a new generation,” said Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković.

Source: HRT