Milanović honours Promina war victims, calls for Croatia to put national interests first

President and Commander-in-Chief Zoran Milanović has paid tribute to the defenders and civilians from the Promina region who were killed during the Homeland War.

Milanović laid a wreath at the Central Cross in Oklaj, in the Municipality of Promina, and attended a commemoration marking Memorial Day for the fallen defenders and civilians of the area.

Following the ceremony, the president attended a formal session of the Promina Municipal Council marking the 143rd anniversary of the municipality’s establishment.

Addressing those gathered, Milanović highlighted the suffering of civilian victims of the war, saying they were “completely innocent and unsuspecting victims,” which, he said, made their deaths particularly horrific.

Speaking about Croatia’s political position, Milanović said state policy should be guided by national interests while respecting fundamental values.

“Our policy is uncompromising when it comes to human values and our national interests. There are no dogmas here. There is judgment, assessment, calculation, but also self-interest. State affairs are conducted with self-interest in mind,” Milanović said.

He argued that Croatia had entered a period in which it was able to make decisions within a system it had chosen itself.

“For the first time in modern history, as a nation and a country, we are all together within a system that we ourselves chose,” the president said, adding that Croatia should take advantage of the opportunities provided by its geographic position.

Milanović said Croatia should avoid making “reckless pledges” and instead focus on protecting its interests while maintaining relations with its allies.

“When making decisions, we must look first and foremost to our own interests, while taking care not to stab our allies in the back,” he said.

The president also expressed hope that divisions over major national issues were a thing of the past, saying disagreements were inevitable but should take place within the bounds of respectful debate.

“There will always be times when we talk, disagree and even argue. That will not change, but we must debate these issues and remain decent people,” Milanović said.

Concluding his address, he called for Croatia to respect both its own interests and those of others, while warning against excessive reliance on external centres of power.

“Let us stand by our own and respect what belongs to others,” Milanović said, adding that Croatia’s historical experience with foreign centres of power had not always been positive.