State officials attend ceremony marking 24th anniversary of Operation Flash

The ceremony in Okucani was attended by President and Armed Forces Supreme Commander Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic, Defence Minister Damir Krsicevic, Interior Minister Drazen Bozinovic, Veterans Minister Tomo Medved and other top officials.

"Operation Flash marked the beginning of the liberation of Croatian territory and the re-integration of Croatia," said Grabar-Kitarovic and added that her thoughts were with the families of all defenders who had been killed or missing. She also added that it's time to talk about the future and thanked new generations of soldiers and policemen taking care of Croatia's security, N1 television reported.

She was also asked to comment on Serb victims killed during Operation Flash.

"We regret every victim," Grabar-Kitarovic replied.

The operation was launched on May 1 and ended on May 3, 1995. During less than 32 hours Croatian troops and police regained control of 500 square kilometres of land, including the main west-east motorway and the railway line leading to Eastern Slavonia.

About 7,200 troops and police officers took part in the liberation of Western Slavonia, of whom 42 were killed and 162 wounded. It was the first time during the 1991-1995 Homeland War that the Croatian Air Force had used airstrikes on a larger scale, and the enemy was further surprised by tanks that were brought in by rail and deployed in combat.

Okucani is located about 130 kilometres southeast of Zagreb. During the war it was the centre of the Serb rebellion and a staging area for terrorist attacks in Western Slavonia.

PM paid his respects on Tuesday

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic visited Okucani,on Tuesday on the eve of the 24th anniversary of Operation Flash.

Plenkovic, accompanied by Minister of Regional Development and EU Funds Gabrijela Zalac and Minister of Veterans' Affairs Tomo Medved, laid a wreath and lit candles in tribute to 51 Croatian soldiers killed in the operation.

After the ceremony, he met with the mayors of Western Slavonia towns and municipalities, and Minister Zalac presented them with agreements aimed at promoting the development of social, economic and municipal infrastructure and entrepreneurship.