President Josipovic received officers who will be retired
President and Commander in Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Ivo Josipović received today, 29 June 2012, high officers of the Armed Forces who are retiring this year.
Defence Minister Ante Kotromanović and Chief of General Staff Lieutenant General Drago Lovrić also attended the ceremony.
President Josipović on this occasion thanked the assembled high-ranking officers and said that they did a lot for their country and that the Homeland was grateful for that.
“Many of you have from the very start gave an outstanding contribution to the defence of Croatia, and after the war you have continued to serve in the best way”, the President said.
He stressed that Croatia many years after the war was a successful state, a member of NATO and a country that will soon be a member of the European Union, the country which has developed a stable democracy based on the best traditions of the West, to which the officers gave their share.
“New times require new models of defence”, the President said, adding that he was confident that they would, before they retire, gave their useful advice in the further development of our armed forces, which must be small, efficient and highly professional.
“The truth is that our armed forces have never had nor will have the most expensive and sophisticated weapons”, Josipović said, adding that CAF would have weapons to be good and quality guarantor of our freedom and democracy.
“Also, we all make savings in the defence system, but one can not save to a level that does not guarantee our safety”, he said, and thanked the officers for everything they have done for our country, handing them the officer’s dagger.
On behalf of the senior retiring officers, Vice Admiral Zdenko Simičić thanked the President for the reception.
One admiral, seven generals and twenty-six colonels will be retired this year.
During 2012, a total of 196 CAF members will be retired, in accordance with the Plan of personnel separation for 2012.