Funeral of General Imra Agotić

The funeral was led by the Military Ordinary Bishop Juraj Jezerinac, with the presence of the highest civilian and military officials, including President Ivo Josipović, Parliament Speaker Boris Šprem and Prime Minister Zoran Milanović, generals, family and friends. Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Drago Lovrić, and the general’s friends Marko Petrošević and Vinko Šebrek held commemorative farewell speeches.

“We say goodbye to your last rest, and in our minds we remember on our human and friendly meetings, exchange of opinions and experience, carefully listening of advices and their credibility”, Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Drago Lovrić said, adding: “we are engulfed with all those memories of the time when you have been involved in the creation of the National Guard and Croatian Army, and especially the Croatian Air Force”

Saying that with the proud he could say that all members of the Armed Forces who knew General Agotić had the privilege to learn from him, General Lovrić added: “Our dear general, we members of the Armed Forces and all Croatian citizens, shall always remember you as a great man of our Homeland war.

In homily, Vicar General of the Military Chaplaincy Jakov Mamić emphasized the faith as an essential characteristic of General Imra Agotić. “We want Jesus Christ to recognize on your face his face, to recognize in your heart his heart and in your hands to recognize his own hands”, said Father Mamić and continued: “Thank you for the love with which you defend our country and served her, for you have kept the dignity of a Croatian soldier, for you have put yourself in the freedom of the Homeland”.

Croatia and its armed forces, family, relatives and friends, said the last goodbye with the flyby of three MIG-21 aircraft and with honour salvos in the moments when the Air Force Commander Brigadier General Dražen Šćuri was handing over the national flag to the family.