Croatian Independence Day marked in St. Mark Square
The main ceremony was attended by the Envoy of the President of the Republic as Supreme Commander Vlado Galić, by the Chairman of the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia Gordan Jandroković, by the Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković, by the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Damir Krstičević, by the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces General Mirko Šundov and other senior officials and members of the Diplomatic Corps.
The ceremony was opened with a Grand Changing of the Guards by the Honorary Battalion.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Damir Krstičević extended congratulations to Croatian citizens on the Independence Day and gratitude for the victims of all Croatian defenders contributing to the freedom and sovereignty of the Republic of Croatia under the leadership of the first Croatian President, Dr. Franjo Tuđman.
Minister Krstičević also praised the Honarary Battalion taking part in the ceremony marking the major Croatian holiday after 17 years again. The ceremony (revived on the Minister’s own initiative) and takes place on Saturdays and public holidays from May through October, with the aim to guard the tradition, bring the Croatian Armed Forces closer to the people and promote the military profession, the City of Zagreb and Croatia as a whole. The first performance took place in the St. Mark’s Square on the former Statehood Day ( 30 May 1991) and the ceremony of the Independence Day closed the season 2018.
The ceremony programme also included the performance of the Croatian Armed Forces Orchestra and of the Croatian Navy’s Vocal Ensemble “Sveti Juraj” and the soloist Đani Stipaničev.
On the occasion of Independence Day senior state delegations laid wreaths in the Mirogoj Cemetery – at the Memorial of the Voice of the Croatian Victim – Wall of Pain and the Central Cross in the Alley of the Fallen Croatian War Veterans and also on the Tomb of the first Croatian President Dr. Franjo Tuđman and on the grave of Unidentified Victims of the Homeland War at the Zagreb Crematorium.
A mass was also recited in the Church of St. Marko, by Msgr. Ivan Šaško, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Zagreb, which was attended by Minister Krstičević and the delegation of the Croatian Armed Forces.
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