The 29th anniversary of the Military Police Operation Storm was solemnly and with dignity celebrated in Knin

On 5 August 2024 the Day of Victory and Homeland Gratitude, the Day of Croatian Veterans and the 29th anniversary of the military police operation Storm were marked solemnly and with dignity in Knin. The central ceremony was held at the Dinara Football Club stadium, and the program at the Knin Fortress was broadcast via video walls at the stadium and the central town square.

At the ceremony in honour of this great military victory, the highest state and military officials gathered in the City of King Zvonimir, and the commemoration began with a traditional patriotic song on the city streets.

At Dr. Ante Starčević Square near the “Storm of 95” Croatian Victory Monument, a tribute was paid to the dead, missing and deceased Croatian veterans. Wreaths were laid by representatives of the families of the dead, missing and deceased Croatian veterans in the MPO Storm, Croatian military invalids, war commanders and representatives of associations from the Homeland War, delegations of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the Croatian Parliament and the President of the Republic of Croatia, and the delegation of the Croatian National Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as representatives of the counties and cities.

BG Željko Ljubas, Commander of the Command-Operational Centre of the CAF General Staff presented the report to the President of the Republic of Croatia at stadium of the Dinara Football Club.

The ringing of church bells announced the traditional ceremony of raising the Croatian flag on the mast of the Knin fortress at exactly 9:43 a.m., when Croatian soldiers victoriously entered the City of King Zvonimir 29 years ago. Then the same number of platoons announced the history book and the names of 245 dead and missing veterans in the Storm MPO were read out, and they were honoured with an overflight of the CAiF’s Rafale multirole combat aircraft.

Today we celebrate the freedom and fearlessness of Croatian veterans

Retired LTG Slavko Barić, a longtime Deputy Chief of the CAF General Staff and Deputy Commandant of the Ban Josip Jelačić War College and Commandant of the Dr. Franjo Tuđman Croatian Defence Academy spoke on behalf of the Croatian veterans. He pointed out the importance of promoting the truth about the Homeland War and caring for Croatian veterans, and emphasized that they should not be a burden on society, but rather its active members.

Congratulations and gratitude to the Croatian veterans were then sent by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, who pointed out: “The Storm marked a new period in Croatian history, because from that moment the survival of Croatia has been ensured for its future generations.

The raising of the flag at the Knin Fortress is one of the happiest moments in Croatian history: it marked the realization of the thousand-year-old dream of Croatian independence, which generations dreamed of. “He emphasized that because the Storm was a liberating, legitimate and just military operation, and that distortion of historical facts and attacks on Croatian defenders and policemen will not be allowed, because they are at the foundation of our freedom.

The Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Gordan Jandroković said that the Storm Military Police Operation was great, legitimate, legal and just, and that there are those who want to cast a shadow on the Homeland War. He emphasized that such narratives will not go down well with them: “Our task is to convey the historical truth to future generations and to remind them that owing to the courage and sacrifice of Croatian veterans and the wisdom of the first Croatian President Dr. Franjo Tuđman.”

The President of the Republic of Croatia and the Commander-in-Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović emphasized in his address: “Today we celebrate the freedom and courage and skill of our soldiers, who brought us freedom, peace and sovereignty, as well as the wisdom and determination of the Croatian political leadership at the time.”

Attractive demonstration of the capabilities of the Croatian army and police

The ceremony at the stadium was completed by demonstration of the abilities of the Croatian Army and the police members and a flight program in which the acrogroup “Wings of the Storm”, the MiG-21 plane and Rafale multirole combat aircraft participated.

The overflight of the MiG-21 aircraft symbolically reminded us of the key air support that these planes provided to the ground forces during the Storm military-police operation, but also announced a new chapter in the defence capability of the Republic of Croatia with the Rafale jets. After a short flight demonstration, the Rafales proceeded to fly over the state territory of the Republic of Croatia in honour of the Storm.

Defence Minister Ivan Anušić: This is one of the greatest days in recent Croatian history.

“To all of Croatia, in homeland and abroad, I congratulate the Day of Victory and Homeland Gratitude and the Day of Croatian Veterans and the 29th anniversary of the Storm military-police operation, the day that changed Croatia, the day that will remain in memories as the greatest day in the history of Croatia since the first mention of the Croats. This day, 5 August 1995, is, if not the greatest, then it is one of the greatest in history,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ivan Anušić sent a message from Knin, and on that occasion he also visited the tactical-technical assembly of weapons and equipment.

After the central ceremony, a mass was celebrated in the church of Our Lady of the Great Covenant, led by the military ordinary, Msgr. Jure Bogdan with the concelebration of the Bishop of Šibenik, Msgr. Tomislav Rogić.

All day, all those interested could view the tactical-technical collection of weapons and equipment. In the afternoon, participants of the marathon, as well as cyclists and motorcyclists, participants of the race and parade, which are traditionally held on the occasion of this great Croatian military victory, arrived to Knin.

The ceremonial marking was attended by: President of the Republic of Croatia and Commander-in-Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces Zoran Milanović, Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Gordan Jandroković, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenković, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ivan Anušić, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Croatian Veterans Tomo Medved, other government ministers, President of the Croatian National Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dragan Čović, Chief of the CAF General Staff LTG Tihomir Kundid, Commanders of the CAF branches, Military Ordinary Msgr. Jure Bogdan, ambassadors and foreign defence attachés accredited to the Republic of Croatia, representatives of the City and County, numerous CAF members, participants in the operation and many other guests.