Marking of 28th anniversary of Operation Plitvice
A commemorative ceremony of the 28th anniversary of the police operation Plitvice and of the first victim of the Homeland War (the Bloody Easter 1991) Josip Jović was held on 31 March 2019.
Alongside the late Josip Jović’s family and fellow combatants, the ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic as Supreme Commander of the Croatian Armed Forces Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, the Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, the Envoy of the Chairman of the Croatian Parliament and MP Anđelko Stričak, the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Damir Krstičević, the Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović, the MInister of Homeland War Veterans Tomo Medved, the Chief of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces General Mirko Šundov, ChiefPolice Director Nikola Milina and representatives of the defenders associations and participants of the Operation Plitvice.
The President said she proudly remembered the historic date from the Homeland War and expressed gratitude to Josip Jović for his patriotism. We are standing by the monument dedicated to you and paying our respects for your sacrifice for our freedom and independence“. The President also recalled the fallen, missing and wounded as well as the families who lost their members in the Homeland War.
“The courage demonstrated by Josip Jović and all of you was Croatia’s cry for freedom. The Police action Plitvice led to the establishment of well-organised units of the Croatian police and of the Croatian Armed Forces “, said the Prime Minister.
The Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović said the Croatian police had a indispensable role in the Homeland War.”Young Josip Jović’s heroic death is a symbol of the audacity ofthe Croatian policemen from the earliest days to the final liberating operations”.
Zdravko Lončar, a representative of the policemen taking part in the action “Plitvice“ shared his memories and concluded that it was a foundation and incentive for the establishment of the Croatian Armed Forces.
The delegations laying wreaths at the memorial monument to Josip Jović. The ceremony also featured a prayer for the first fallen policeman recited by the Military Ordinary Mons. Jure Bogdan and a performance by the Vocal Ensemble of the Ministry of the Interior “Sv. Mihovil”.
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