Central celebration of 20th CAF anniversary started

At the Wall of Pain and Central Cross tribute to all fallen soldiers and other victims of war were paid by the delegation of President, led by the Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Drago Lovric, Croatian Parliament (Parliament Speaker Luka Bebic), Government (Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor), CAF ( Deputy Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Slavko Baric), Police Directorate (Director Oliver Grbic), City of Zagreb (Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandic), and veterans associations. The same delegation laid wreaths and lit candles at the tomb of the first president of Croatia Franjo Tudjman.

Delegation of Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces, headed by Defence Minister Davor Bozinovic and Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Drago Lovric paid tribute to the late wartime defence minister Gojko Susak and Chief of General Staff during Operation Storm, General Zvonimir Cervenko.

The delegations then left for the Zagreb Cathedral of St. Stephen, where the Vicar General of the armed forces Jakov Mamic led holy mass for the deceased veterans, members of the Armed Forces and Police. With state officials and employees of the Croatian Armed Forces and Police, the Eucharistic celebration was attended by members of veterans’ associations, and family members of killed in the Homeland War. During the homily, the Vicar-General noted that it was honourable to belong to the armed forces that have not fought conquest, but a defensive war, and which arms were always acted solely in the service of peace. Peace is the content and mission of our armed forces, concluded the Vicar General.

During the morning, in the centre of the city, including the Ban Jelacic Square, an appropriate music program, consisting mainly of traditional Croatian military marches, was performed by the Orchestra of the Croatian Navy.