Croatian and Montenegrin MoDs Attend 21 HRVCON Send-off

The Commander of the 190-member Contingent is Col Krešo Tuškan. The Infantry Coy of the Contingent also comprises 23 members of the Army of Montenegro, as continuation of the partnership of Croatia and Montenegro developed within the A-5 Initiative. 14 members of the Contingent have already been deployed to Afghanistan.

The send-off ceremony was attended by the Envoy of the President of the Republic, Mr. Zlatko Gareljić, the Defence Minister, Mr. Ante Kotromanović, the Defence Minister of Montenegro, Ms Milica Pejanović-Đurišić, the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, Lt. Gen. Drago Lovrić and the Chief of the General Staff of the Army of Montenegro, VAdm Dragan Samardžić.

In his address to the Contingent members, the Croatian President’s Advisor emphasized that participation in international peace operation is among the most important missions of the Armed Forces. The duties inherent in deployment are demanding and engaging, and their members’ duty is to fulfill them in the best manner possible.

Croatian Defence Minister stated that the Republic of Croatia supported Montenegro in its efforts to join the Euro-Atlantic associations, and that to prove it best was the joint training and deployment of the two respective Armed Forces units to ISAF. Mr. Kotromanović expressed his confidence in the Contingent’s readiness and stressed that successful deployment to Afghanistan requires planned and organised operation as opposed to improvising.

Montenegrin Defence Minister emphasized being proud of the bilateral co-operation of the respective Armed Forces, which have shown their commitment and which contributes to security in the region and wider. Preparation of the Montenegro Contingent was demanding but facilitated by the support and reception provided by the Croatian part.

Croatian Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Lovrić told the members of the Contingents that they were expected to commit fully to the mission and be mindful of their peers and the local population in Afghanistan.

Col Tuškan addressed the visitors on behalf of the Contingent’s members, describing the co-operation with the soldiers from Montenegro in the operation as „two Countries – two Partners- one Mission“. „The mission entrusted to us instills pride and gratification equally as the sense of responsibility and commitment“.

The ceremony was preceeded by the bilateral meeting of the two delegations headed by their respective Defence Ministers on bilateral defence co-operation. The discussion placed the emphasis on co-operation between the two Navies in protection of the Adriatic Sea, and on co-operation within the ISAF frameworrk. Croatian Minister commended the contribution of the Montenegro Army in the Military Police School in Kabul. Future co-operation regarding the fire fighting pilots training was considered too, and the Croatian delegation invited the Montenegro partners to join the international project of helicopter crew training within the NATO’s „Smart Defence“ Initiative that is conducted in the 93th Air Force and Air Defence Base near Zadar.

 

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