21st Anniversary of the Croatian Military Academy

Along with CMA staff and students of all levels of education, the ceremony was also attended by the envoy of the President, Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Drago Lovrić, envoy of the Minister of Defence, Deputy Defence Minister Višnja Tafra, senior MOD and CAF officials, Interior Ministry officials, representatives of the university community and the Military Diplomatic Corps, commanders and former employees of the CMA and other guests.

During his address, General Lovrić emphasized that “the CMA has been the intellectual backbone of the Armed Forces for twenty-one years”. The knowledge that the CMA provided to students had a great contribution in building the victorious Croatian Armed Forces in the Homeland War, but also the victorious Armed Forces in the processes of integration and adaptation to NATO standards. Addressing the teachers, Lovrić said that he recognized their intellectual potential, therefore, he required the curriculum to be inventive and creative, with necessary flexibility, rejecting the dogmatic approach to military thought. “Build our officers who will be able to build integration not only upward, but also to integrate downward, because modern multinational operations require multinational approach already at the crew, team and squad level”, said the envoy of the Commander-in-Chief.

Deputy Defence Minister Tafra, said that the most important factor and a driver of the Armed Forces was the human potential, so it was necessary to be developed and improved. Here comes the Croatian Military Academy, an umbrella of military educational institution, internationally recognized by allies and partners. “Looking forward, the most important CMA project is stronger networking with civil educational system. We all look forward for the CMA training to be recognized by civilian standards. The success of this project will bring the quality of our defence system to an even higher level. Therefore, all of you have a great responsibility”, Tafra said. To achieve this goal, the CMA will have the full support of the Ministry of Defence; therefore, for the next year MOD provided funds for addressing the issue of adequate students housing, Deputy Minister said.

Recalling the history of the CMA, Director of the Military Academy Lieutenant General Slavko Barić welcomed and thanked everyone who contributed to the development of the Academy, since the Homeland War and Officer Centre, until today, when the number of people who have completed some form of training exceeded 30 000. Today, the CMA is modern institution, in times when the military commanders need new knowledge and insight into the latest military events. Transferring these knowledge and events to students is the fundamental of the Academy. “The centre of interest will be the student, curriculum, training and professional development of teachers and trainers, and improving the standards of learning and teaching”, Barić said, adding that the CMA had everything needed to make a good transformation and to accredit all training programs within the university community. Transformation will require additional efforts, General Barić concluded, inviting leaders of other organizational units in the system to give their contribution.

After the speeches, the most prominent CMA employees received awards and commendations, followed by the musical performance of the CAF Orchestra and displaying short film about CMA, made by Miljenko Majnarić and Anele Stubičar.

After the formal part of the program, the present toured the exhibition of the military literature and exhibition “In the service of man and peace” set upon celebrating the 15 years of the Military Diocese and 20 years of pilgrimage to Lourdes and Marija Bistrica.