17th anniversary of Flash operation

In addition to participants of Flash operation and family members of killed soldiers, in Okučani were also the Croatian Parliament Speaker Boris Šprem, envoy of the President, Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Drago Lovrić, envoy of the Prime Minister, Defence Minister Ante Kotromanović, senior civilian and military officials, and representatives of local authorities.

Flash military-police operation began at 05.21 hours on 1 May 1995. In just 31 hours, about 500 square kilometers of Croatian territory was liberated and highway that connected central Croatia and Slavonia was unblocked. 32 units of the Armed Forces and Police participated in the operation. In liberation of western Slavonia, 42 members of the Croatian Army and police were killed and 162 of them were wounded.

Tribute to fallen soldiers was paid by laying wreath at the Central Cross in Memorial Park of the Croatian knights. On behalf of the Republic of Croatia, Parliament Speaker Boris Šprem, envoy of the President, Lieutenant General Drago Lovrić and envoy of the Prime Minister, Minister of Defence Ante Kotromanović jointly laid a wreath. Wreaths were also laid by CAF delegation, by the General Police Directorate, Brod Posavina County, Okučani municipality and families of deceased veterans.

President of the Croatian Parliament Šprem thanked all the participants of Flash operation on their courage, determination and sacrifice, and paid the deepest tribute to the fallen soldiers. “Because it was a legitimate, liberating and defensive, Flash operation was doomed to succeed. Flash was the turning point of the Homeland War that has convinced the international community in the fairness and legitimacy of all Croatian goals and on disastrous aggression politics”, Šprem said. He emphasized that the high professionalism of Croatian soldiers and the consistency of Croatian citizens in the preservation of peace, freedom, democracy and human rights was our ticket for NATO and the EU. “The obligation of all of us is to preserve the dignity of the Croatian Homeland War, Croatian veterans and let nobody to manipulate with them”, Parliament Speaker concluded.

Mass for all deceased Croatian soldiers and civilian casualties in the Homeland War was served in the Church of St. Vid, led by Požega Bishop Antun Škvorčević.

As part of the celebration of 17^th anniversary of Flash operation, sports games of veterans associations and volunteers of the Homeland War were organized, which was opened by Parliament Speaker Boris Šprem.