Christmas and New Year’s Wishes

Allow me to extend my best wishes for Christmas and New Year to you and your families.
Our Allies and partner countries, your counterparts from these countries, as well as the people and the authorities of the countries you have been deployed to have identified you with the modern and democratic Croatia.
From our ancestors we inherited the love of freedom. The Croatian Armed Forces were established and developed  during most challenging and hard times of endangered independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Croatia and denied freedom and human rights of its citizens.

Today, the Republic of Croatia has grown into a recognised and responsible member of international organisations and alliances, and a valuable provider of peace, security and stability in missions and operations worldwide.
The peace engagement, along with the assistance to the civilian community in the event of natural or man-made disasters, has been a proof of modernity of our Armed Forces. Along with maintaining the traditional military capabilities, and co-operating and integrating the military and civilian systems, our Armed forces also endeavour to maintain and develop a up-to-date security and defence system, for the benefit and safety of our citizens, society and the country as a whole, and by extension of our immediate and wider surrounding.

President of the Republic and
Supreme Commander of the
Croatian Armed Forces
Ivo Josipović  

Christmas and New Year’s Wishes by the Defence Minister Ante Kotromanović

Dear employees of the Ministry of Defence and members of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia!

Allow me to extend my  best wishes for the upcoming Christmas festivities and for a plenty of joy and happiness in the upcoming 2014 year!
On that occasion I am expressing my most earnest appreciation for the efforts invested to render our Ministry and the entire Armed Forces recognisable and important safety-providing segment of the Croatian society. The year behind us has imposed numerous challenges and hard tasks for all of us. Therefore, my gratitude goes to you for the enthousiastical contribution towards an ever more efficient and wise-managed defence system, which, according to the results, has put us on the right way.

My special  seasons’s wishes go to the families of the members of the Armed Forces who are no longer with us, as well as to the members of the Armed Forces who at this special time of the year continue to fulfill their responsible duties far from their homes, as members of the international missions and operations worldwide and who have made us highly proud with their performance in building a safer and a more stable world.

I wish the upcoming holidays bring  joy, family serenity and prosperity in your private and professional lives alike.

Minister of Defence
Ante Kotromanović

Christmas Wishes by the Chief of the General Staff

Dear enlisted soldiers, seamen, non-commissioned officers, officers, generals and admirals, members of the Armed Forces taking part in peace support operations and missions, dear cadets and civilian employees of the Ministry of Defence and of the Croatian Armed Forces,
 
I am taking this opportunity to extend my best wishes for Christmas and the New Year 2014!

The Croatian Armed Forces have in the current year fulfilled a number of plans and tasks. All the assigments related to the assistance to the civilian community have also been successfully completed, speaking of wholehearted service to the Homeland and its citizens. Beside the in-country tasks, the members of the Croatian Armed Forces have continued their contribution in the international peace support missions and operations, of which I am especially proud.
Satisfied of the successes and results achieved both in-country and abroad, I am convinced that in the year to come we shall continue fulfilling our demanding tasks with full commitment and responsibility.  My deepest appreciation goes to you who are spending this holiday season far from your families, in the exercise of your most demanding duties of peace making and supporting. The professionalism, commitment and resoluteness evinced by the Croatian soldiers towards a better and safer future, albeit far from their homes, are the qualities for which they and their Homeland are recognised by the Allies and partners alike.
This season is also an occasion to remember, in all piety, the members of the Armed Forces who gave their lives to achieve peace and liberty of Our Homeland and of its citizens.  Their families, who miss them the most on these days, deserve our gratitude.
The eve of Christmas, a holiday of family and human togetherness, is also a time to reflect on the achievements and enticements for new advances. In tune with the spirit of toghetherness, I wish to all of you and your families a merry and serene Christmas, and a joyful, prosperous and healthy new 2014!

                 
Chief of the General Staff
General Drago Lovrić