Congratulations from the Minister of Defence and Chief of the CAF General Staff on occasion of the 34th anniversary of the Croatian Army

Today, on 28 May 2025, on occasion of the 34th anniversary of establishment of the Croatian Army, of the Day of the Croatian Armed Forces and the Day of the Croatian Army, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ivan Anušić and Chief of the CAF General Staff LTG Tihomir Kundid sent their congratulations.

Congratulation from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence

Dear members of the Croatian Army,

Dear Croatian war veterans,

With special respect and pride, I congratulate you on the Day of the Croatian Armed Forces, the Day of the Croatian Army and the 34th anniversary of establishment of the Croatian Army!

Since the wartime days, through the Homeland War and up to the present day, Croatian Army has been constantly developing. We have come a long and proud way – a way on which courage, sacrifice and love for the Homeland have remained our permanent values. From an unarmed army in the Homeland War, we have become a victorious army, which today, given the changed geopolitical relations and deteriorated security situation, we are building towards a modern and effective army ready to carry out deterrence in all challenging situations of today.

On shoulders and merits of the Croatian defenders, we have grown into a professional and respected military force. We never forget that owing to Croatian defenders, their courage and sacrifice in Homeland War, who laid the foundations of the freedom we live in today. Their selfless struggle inspires and obliges us to continue to preserve the values they fought for – freedom, dignity and peace.

Croatian Army and its members today participate equally in all activities with other NATO members. Our soldiers return from international competitions as winners, and when they participate in peacekeeping missions, operations and activities, they are regularly commended and given the best grades.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Croatia have been systematically investing in the security of our homeland – we are investing in people, because they are the heart of the Croatian Army, but also in equipment, technology and new capabilities. We have reached 2 percent of the GDP in defence spending, and in the coming period we will raise that percentage to 3 or 3.5 percent. The procurement of Rafale multi-role combat aircraft, the Bayraktar unmanned aerial system, the powerful HIMARS missile system, and soon the most modern Leopard 2A8 tanks, as well as corvettes and medium-range air defence systems, clearly show that investments in security have no alternative.

I congratulate from my heart all members of the Croatian Army, Croatian war veterans and employees of the defence system on this great day!

I would also like to thank all members of the Croatian Army who are deployed to peacekeeping missions, operations and activities throughout the world. Your expertise and dedication make us visible and respected on a global level.

Thank you for investing your knowledge and determination in strengthening and building new capabilities, in building an armed force that is the guarantor of Croatian stability and security!

Happy Day of the Croatian Army!

Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and Minister of Defence
Ivan Anušić

Congratulations from the Chief of the CAF General Staff

“Dear members of the Croatian Army,

Thirty-four years ago, at the stadium in Kranjčevićeva Street in Zagreb, the National Guard Corps was solemnly lined up, from which the victorious Croatian Army emerged.

With establishment of the Croatian Army, the conditions were created for us to finally liberate our Homeland in less than four years of the Homeland War and by conducting the key military- constabulary operations Flash and Storm. Of course, all of this was done with maximum commitment of each individual participant in the Homeland War, through unity in the fight for free Croatia.

During the historic struggle for independence and freedom, many defenders laid their lives on the altar of the Homeland, as a pledge of our present and future. All these victims, the dead, the wounded and the missing, oblige us to permanently remember and preserve the sanctity for which they gave their lives.

The Croatian Armed Forces have undergone numerous transformations and have become a modern army, capable of responding to various security challenges. Croatia, as a member of NATO, the European Union and the United Nations, participates in numerous peace support operations and missions, where Croatian soldiers are acknowledged as extremely reliable and valued partners.

For many years, the Armed Forces have provided a wide range of support to civilian institutions and the local community in the Republic of Croatia. This shows how the Armed Forces are a support to Croatian people when they are most needed.

To be a Croatian soldier is a calling, honourable and unique, where no challenge is insurmountable with a strong sense of responsibility and loyalty to the Homeland.

“Dear members of the Croatian Army, I thank everyone for professional execution of the assigned tasks and congratulate you on the Day of the Croatian Armed Forces, the Day of the Croatian Army and the 34th anniversary of establishment of the Croatian Army!”

Chief of the CAF General Staff
Lieutenant General Tihomir Kundid