Lt. Gen. Mirko Šundov assumes duty of Chief of GS

The formal ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic as the Supreme Commander of the Croatian Armed Forces Kolinda Grabar – Kitarović, the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Željko Reiner, the Defence Minister  Josip Buljević and other senior civilian and military officials.
President Kolinda Grabar – Kitarovic congratulated General  Šundov on the appointment and extended appreciation to General Lovrić for the committed five-year office, during  which the Croatian Armed Forces, to whose development General Lovrić contributed immensely throughout his service, acquired new important capabilities, autonomously or within the activities led by NATO. 
The President emphasised that the Croatian Armed Forces had completed the integration process within three and a half years only from the moment of entry, and their members demonstrated their ability to take part in  international peace missions operations thereby confirming their professionalism, trainedness and dedication and increasing the visibility of  the Republic of Croatia at the international level.
The President also stressed the recently upgraded capability of the Croatian Armed Forces related to the assistance to the civilian population hit by  disasters, the organisation of emergency medical transportation and search-and-rescue interventions.
“This is the time to focus on the human resources – the members of the Croatian Armed Forces – as the most valuable asset of our defence system“, said the President and pledged to engage on the improvement of living and working conditions of the Croatian Armed Forces, on further investments into their education and training and development, in accordance with her constitutional authority.
The newly appointed Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Mirko Šundov extended appreciation for the honour and for the trust vested in him with the nomination. He also expressed the pride over joining the Chiefs of the General Staff who each in their term contributed to their development  and asserted that the Croatian Armed Forces would continue to develop, patriotism and victorious spirit and one of the most important element of the overall national potential and an indicator of integration of the Croatian society.
General Šundov pledged to continue the ongoing projects and direct the efforts towards continued modernisation and equipment for still better organised, equipped, trained and prepared force jointly with the Allied and partner forces in NATO and the EU. He also stressed the importance of the investment into the development of the knowledge and the skills of the human resources of the Croatian Armed Forces  as their most valuable asset.
General Šundov announced further efforts on the improvement of the living and working conditions as well as on the upgrade of training and practice of the members of the Croatian Armed Forces at all leves. “I believe the members of the Croatian Armed Forces will grow more satisfied, moral, trained and prepared for any assigned task, and the Forces wil remain the guarantor of the safe future for Croatia“. General Šundov concluded his address by extending the appreciation and wishing his predecessor all the best for his future.
General Lovric expressed appreciation to his associates and all members of the Armed Forces for the hard work they have invested into the development of the Armed Forces, as well as the honour over the opportunity to serve the Republic of Croatia and its people in critical moments of its existence.
General recalled the Homeland War and paid honour to all Croatian defenders. “The competence of their members render the Croatian Armed Forces recognisable; they are always motivated and glad to assume on any task and perform it with commitment and readiness to sacrify defending the national values“.   
General Lovrić in his address reminded of the completed projects of the Armed Forces in the past period – the integration into NATO, the participation of the Armed Forces in peacekeeping missions, the equipping and modernisation projects, a new officer education system – and said he was proud to conclude that the Croatian Armed Forces were the most trusted institution in Croatia.
He wished all the best for Lt. Gen. Šundov in the exercise of the duty  and expressed the appreciation to the enlisted soldiers, NCOs and officers for the efforts invested in bulding and developing the Croatian Armed Forces.