Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Sunday that Operation Storm and values of the Homeland War should be an incentive to build a strong and successful homeland, adding that Croatia today advocated cooperation and good neighbourly relations which must be based on the truth, reconciliation, justice and the ability to responsibly face the truth.

“Croatia was great in its victory and already in 1996 it extended a hand of peace through the normalisation of relations with Serbia. Today we advocate cooperation and good neighbourly relations which must be based on the truth, reconciliation, justice and the ability to responsibly face the past,” the prime minister said, speaking at the central celebration of the Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day, Croatian War Veterans Day and the 23rd anniversary of Operation Storm in Knin on Sunday.

“However, the lack of readiness of some people to face the past only delays a true reconciliation,” he added.

Plenkovic recalled that Operation Storm in only a few days entirely nullified the effects of the five-year occupation of Croatia.

The prime minister underlined that modernisation of the Croatia’s Armed Forces and the Police, as guarantors of the security of the country and the safety of its citizens, was an obligation of every responsible government. Therefore, the procurement of Israeli F-16 Barak fighter jets was an important step which will help Croatia become even more safe, capable of responding to all security challenges, Plenkovic said.