The Commemoration of the 20 Anniversary of Operation “Storm“ in Knin

The delegations of the Croatian Parliament, the Croatian Government, of the Croatian Armed Forces and of the Police laid the wreath at the monument to the Croatian Victory and paid tribute to the fallen defenders, and so did the President of the Republic as the Supreme Commander of the Croatian Armed Forces, following the inspection of the ceremonial column of wartime banners. The President was accompanied by a delegation of the Croatian Armed Forces, headed by the Chief of the General Staff, General  Drago Lovrić and the delegation of the family members of the fallen, deceased and missing defenders rom the Operation Storm, the delegation of the associations from the Homeland War and of the  Šibenik-Knin County and of the Town of Knin.

As part of the commemoration ceremony, the Museum “ Oluja 95“(“Storm 95“) in the Knin Fortress was officially opened by the President of the Republic and extended appreciation to the officials who made possible the establishment of the institution offering a realistic, well-documented and presented sequence of events prior to and during the Homeland War and the Operation  as well as the international context at the time. 

The Croatian flag hoisted the in the Knin Fortress, the chimes, the flypast by two MiGs 21 the Croatian national anthem and the roll call of the 229 fallen, missing and deceased soldiers symbolically commemorated the entry of the members of the Croatian Army into Knin in 1995. The flag was hoisted by the same soldiers (the members of the 7th Guards Brigade – Jasmin Hadžić, Mario Bilać and Edvard Baltić) who had the honour two decades ago.

The commemoration featured the unveiling of the statue of the first Croatian President, Franjo Tuđman, by President Grabar-Kitarović and the president’s son, Miroslav Tuđman. The statue was transported to the spot by the Croatian Air Force and Air Defence’s Transport Helicopters Squadron. The ceremony was accompanied by the firing of 20-volley honorary salute, the  performance of the Croatian Navy Vocal Ensemble “Sveti Juraj“ and the aerial display programme by the eponymic “Wings of Storm“ Aerobatic Team, established on the occasion of the anniversary of the Operation a decade ago and commemorating its own 10th anniversary. 

The commemoration was continued by the mass served for the fallen, the deceased and the missing Croatian defenders served for the in the Knin Church by Cardinal Josip Bozanić, the archbishop of Zagreb.
In the address delivered in the main square of Knin (Trg Ante Starčevića) thePresident of the Republic of Croatia expressed gratitude to the soldiers participating in the Operation Storm and paid tribute to the fallen defenders. The President emphasised the commemoration of the Anniversary of the Operation Storm was at the same time an occasion to demonstrate togetherness and pride. The Operation Storm was legitimate and necessary, as it was Croatia that suffered aggression and   constituted the foundation of the modern state of Croatia. The Mayor of Knin, Josipa Rimac, addressed the visitors, as well as the representative of the Croatian defenders.

The commemoration was completed ded performance by the Croatian Armed Forces’ Orchestra , the presentation of Croatian defenders’ associations and the cultural and entertainment programme.
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