The ceremony of 26th anniversary of the CAF in Lisinski Concert Hall

The ceremony was attended by the attended by the President of the Republic of Croatia as Supreme Commander of the Croatian Armed Forces, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Gordan Jandroković,the Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Damir Krstičević, the Chief of General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, General Mirko Šundov, the representatives of the Croatian Parliament, Government and the Ministry of Defence and other government bodies. Active and retired commanders, members of the units of the Croatian Armed Forces, family members of the fallen and missing defenders, the representatives of associations from the Homeland War and of the diplomatic and military diplomatic corps and others. 
Congratulating the members of the Croatian Armed Forces  and extending commendations to the promoted and awarded, President Kolinda Grabar – Kitarović said that the establishment of the Croatian military was one of the crucial events in the history of the young state of Croatia. Its armed forces are its  heart and soul, the cornerstone and indistructable foundation. The Croatian Armed Forces also greatly contributed to the entry of Croatia to NATO. “We look more confident into the future. In view of new security threats the Croatian Armed Forces are required to strive to adapt the existing and develop new capabilities, which is a common mission of all responsable entities“ n ” concluded the President.
The Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Gordan Jandroković recalled the first line-up of the Croatian  National Guard in Kranjčevićevićeva and quoted the words of the first Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on the need for an armed force.  “We must keep remembrance all defenders and and patriots who bore the heaviest share of the Homeland War  defending the  independent and democratic Croatia. The Croatian Armed Forces were established in war and deveoped and organised in peacetime.  However, as they cannot stand alone  in their missions by themselves, they are justly engaged in peacekeeping missions and operations approved  by two two-thirds majority of  the Croatian Parliament. “The modern-day members of the Croatian Armed Forces share the same virtues of the Croatian defenders – the courage, sacrifice, skills and readiness to help”, said the Speaker.

The Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković  said that the Croatian people supported its Armed Forces still today, as was evident during the ceremonies ,marking their anniversary.  The affection, trust and respect raise the hope for the future but also create the obligation to provide the Croatian Armed Forces with the necessary assets, said the Prime Minister, who also underlined the increased defence budget. The Prime Minister also addressed the issue of fighter aircraft component of the Croatian air Force and Air Defence, pledging that the Croatian government would reach a complete, expert and thorough solution to provide long-term capabilities in that aspect. As for the drafted  strategic documents – the Homeland Security Act and the National Security Strategy, Prime Minister Plenković said they would provide the legal and strategic framework for all activities undertaken in Croatia at the moment in view of the modern security threats altogether diffeent from those of the past.
“The proud and victorious Croatian military grew from solid  foundation  and has an inheritance that obliges“ said the Defence Minister Damir Krstičević  commending the young generations of members of the Croatian Armed Forces, ready to take on any challenges as worthy  heirs  of the brilliant defenders.  “The members of our Armed Forces make their future look bright. The Croatian Armed Forces constitute a guarantee of security, sovereignty and existence of the state and the people.  “The security system that we are developing will guarantee to the citizens that Croatia will be able to respond firmly and clearly to any threat or risk posed before us“, said the Deputy Prime Minister, who also concluded that the current projects, comprising the drafts of the strategic documents, the return of units to towns , the equipment and modernisation of the Croatian Armed Forces and own capacities for the protection of the national airspace support the security and must not be renounced.
The Chief of the General  Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, General Mirko Šundov recalled the war years and the aggression against Croatia; the establishment of th e Croatian National  Guard which had been the nucleus of the Croatian Army, which defended and liberated  Croatia. The reorganisation reduced its  but also shaped  it as an efficient and professional organisation that successfully integrated into NATO and the EU. Today, the Croatian Armed Forces have successfully conducted training and exercise activities  at home and abroad, and will be even better organised, equipped and trained in future. In Croatia the Croatian Armed Forces serve the civilians in the event of natural and other disasters and have also provided assistance to other countries. The biggest value of the system are the members, hence the need to invest into their knowledge, preparedness and skills in future, said the Chief of the General Staff.
The ceremony  featured the presentation of promotions and awards to the meriting members of the Croatian Forces (BrigadierGeneral Miroslav Kovač was promoted to the rank of major general, colonels Senad Fejzić, Tihomir Kundid and  Perica Turalija to the rank of brigadier general and NavyCaptain Ivo Raffanelli to the rank of commodore, as well as of the awards to the best perforning participants of the Best Soldier Competiition 2017 (2nd lieutenant Monika Martina Sipina-Halper, a member of the Guards Mechanised Brigade in the females category and Corporal Ivo Bašić,  a  member of the Military Intelligence Company of the Guards Mechanised Brigade.
The ceremony also included a video on thehistory, the development and the current capabilities of the Croatian Armed Forces produced on the occasion of the anniversary, a performance by the Croatian Armed Forces Orchestra,  the Croatian Navy’s  Vocal Ensemble”Sveti Juraj”, the Croatian National TheatreChoir and singers Radojka Šverko and Miroslav Škoro.

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