CAF and Croatian Army Day Commemorated
The commemoration of the 23rd Anniversary of the Croatian Armed Forces, the Croatian Armed Forces and the Croatian Army Day started in the morning hours of 28 May
with wreaths laid and candles lighted at the Mirogoj Cemetery and the Memorial service for the fallen in the Homeland War held in the Sveta Mati Slobode Church in Zagreb.
Defence Minister Ante Kotromanović and the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, General Drago Lovrić, heading the delegation composed of commanders of the services of the Croatian Armed Forces, laid wreaths and lighted the candles paying respects to the late war-time Defence Ministers Gojko Šušak and Martin Špegelj, the late Chief of the General Staff, General of the Army Zvonimir Červenko and the first Air Force and Air Defence Commander, General Imre Agotić.
The Envoy of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zlatko Gareljić, the Chairman of the Croatian Parliament, Josip Leko, the Defence Minister Ante Kotromanović, Minister of the Croatian Homeland War Veterans, Predrag Matić and the Chief of the General Staff, Drago Lovrić, heading the respective delegations, laid a wreath at the Wall of Pain monument, at the Monument of Partisan Heros, at the Central Cross in the Alley of the Fallen Croatian Defenders, at the common grave from the Croatian Homeland War and at the grave of the first Croatian President, Franjo Tuđman at the Mirogoj Cemetery.
The Mass was celebrated in the «Sveta Mati Slobode» church in Zagreb, by the Military Ordinary of the Republic of Croatia, Mons. Juraj Jezerinac, and was attended by the Envoy of the President of the Republic, Zlatko Gareljić, the Deputy Defence Minister Višnja Tafra, the Chief of the General Staff, Drago Lovrić and other senior military and civilian officials.
The Vicar General of the Military Ordinariate, f. Jakov Mamić in his sermon praised the Armed Forces as the creator and protector of Croatia’s integrity, sovereignty, safety and democracy, of the peace and of the values shared by its citizens. «The Croatian Armed Forces are the pride of Croatia and the guarantee of the humanity of Croatian people».
The delegations of the Ministry of Defence and of the Armed Forces on 27 May paid the respects to the late Defence Ministers Branko Vukelić and Šime Đodan and the General of the Army Janko Bobetko at the cemeteries in Vukmanić, Dubrovnik and Sisak.
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