The Day and 21st anniversary of the Navy

 

The ceremony was present by the President and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Ivo Josipović, Deputy Defence Minister Višnja Tafra, Deputy Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Slavko Barić, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ante Urlić and other military and civilian officials, members of the military and diplomatic corps, representatives of local authorities and many other dignitaries and residents of Podgora.
The ceremony began with reveille of the Navy Orchestra through streets of Podgora followed by laying wreaths and lighting candles for the fallen sailors. President Josipović with the delegation laid a wreath in Podgora at the monument of Don Mihovil Pavlinović and at the Gull-wing and at the memorial of the fallen Croatian soldiers in the Homeland War in Makarska wherefrom the President sailed on Učka ship towards Podgora. In accordance with a long maritime tradition in the Podgora Channel, the President threw a wreath into the sea in memory of the all fallen sailors. The ceremony continued on the central square in Podgorica with the lined up Navy echelons.

In their speeches, the highest gusts reminded on the long maritime tradition, the role of the Croatian Navy in safeguarding the security at the sea, its role in the Homeland War and successful adaptation to new challenges and tasks, and paid homage to fallen members of the Navy. The decision of the Croatian Government on building five coastal patrol boats was also welcomed.

President Josipović also said he hoped that there would be more such decisions. He stressed that the success of the entire economy was related to the safety, and the Navy was not only a factor of safety in the narrow sense, but also the factor of our progress.
“Navy celebrates engagement in the Homeland War,” Josipović said, but added that the generation before this also stood up to defend their homes, freedom, life and property. He noted that the HRM heritage libertarian tradition of the region, and that the Homeland War generation and the generation of our fathers and grandfathers were the role models for generations to come.
On behalf of the Government the greetings to Navy were delivered by the Deputy Minister of Defence Višnja Tafra who pointed out that the maintenance of a high level of security at sea was extremely sensitive task that the Navy had been successfully carrying out.
She noted that the challenges that lie ahead would be neither easy nor simple. “The Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces, and that also means the Croatian Navy, have shown this year that through saving, optimal use of budget funds and other measures, such as new organizational solutions, rational plans and equipment procurement in collaboration with civil society, and by your personal sacrifice – for which I thank you especially – we can and must contribute to the overall efforts of the Government for the climb out of the recession”.
For the tradition she said to be one of the key factors for the development of each Navy, and that was precisely why this anniversary of the Croatian Navy was celebrated in Podgora, under “Gull-wings” linking in a unique way the past and the present of our Navy.
On behalf of the Chief of General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, his deputy, Lieutenant General Slavko Barić congratulated the Navy its anniversary. He noted that the tradition had a great role in rapid establishment of the Navy, and the knowledge and skills of members of the Navy, their dedication to work guaranteed the fulfillment of all the tasks.

Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ante Urlić said that constant vigilance at sea guaranteed national sovereignty and that the successful protection would not be possible without ships. He thanked all the former and current members of the Navy who have contributed to its development and concluded that he was honored to be a commander for five and half years.
President Josipović and his colleagues visited the Navy warships Dmitar Zvonimir and Dubrovnik and met with their capabilities and technical characteristics.

A day earlier in Podgora a Holy Mass was served led by the Vicar General of the Military Ordinariate father Jakov Mamić and Navy Orchestra and “Sveti Juraj” vocal band held a concert. All people in Podgora also could visits the ships of the Croatian Navy.

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