Minister Banožić with members of the 8th HRVCON in Poland

Minister Banožić expressed gratitude to members of the Croatian contingent for promoting their Homeland with their conduct and work and for showing readiness, skills and knowledge

Defence Minister Mario Banožić with delegation is staying in a two-day official visit to the Republic of Poland.

On Tuesday 11 January 2022, Minister Banožić met with Commander of the 16th Mechanized Division Major-General Krzysztof Radomski, Commander of the 15th Mechanized Brigade Colonel Piotr Fajkowski, Commander of the Battle Group of the NATO forces of the eFP LTC Craig Broyles and members of the 8th Croatian contingent that have been deployed to NATO activity of the eFP in the Republic of Poland, on the training area Bemowo Piskie.

“In the last several months of your stay in Poland, you have shown a high level of professionalism, commitment and involvement in the realization of tasks. This is a challenge for all of you”, Minister Banožić said and expressed gratitude to members of their families for support provided during their employment in Poland.

“I am extending greetings on behalf of the Government and the Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and express my gratitude for promoting your Homeland with conduct and work, showing readiness, skills and knowledge”, Minister said and added that members of the Croatian contingent demonstrated professionalism of the Croatian Army.

“In addition to knowledge and skills, we have been recognized in Poland for the quality of equipment. For that reason, we were invited to participate again in Poland with one battery of Panzer howitzers. Next year, in a new rotation with Croatian contingent we will replace the existing armament we have deployed here. I am positive that we will be evaluated with equally good grades, as we have been evaluated so far”, Minister Banožić said and added in closing: “Thank you once again. You showed everything in several months of your deployment to Poland. I believe that commanders will know to make value judgments”.

Croatian Army Commander, Major-General Boris Šerić, told members of the Croatian contingent that he has monitored all activities of the contingent in Poland. “Some of you will have an opportunity to take part again in the activity in Poland with a battery of Panzer howitzers 2000”, MG Šerić said.

Commander of the Guards Armour-Mechanized BG Mijo Validžić said to members of the Croatian contingent that they should continue to be diligent and persevering and that he was looking forward to their return to units.

“Missions of the Croatian contingent are primarily practising and training with the allies and achieving full interoperability with the Battle Group. We have definitely succeeded in that and were able to demonstrate it through five main training events, five main military exercises”, Commander of the 8th Croatian contingent in NATO activity of the eFP in Poland, Captain Dario Bilješković said.

It is worth noting that since October 2017 Croatian Army has been contributing to the Battle Group under command of the USA with a battery of mobile multiple rocket launchers. Croatian Army is currently present with 80 members, and since 2017 a total of 635 members of the Croatian Army have taken part in the activity of eFP. Croatian Army will continue to provide support to allies in this area and from the year 2023 with a battery PzH 2000.