A delegation of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic laid a wreath and lit candles outside the house in Veliko Trgovisce, 40km north of Zagreb, where the first President of Croatia and founder of the HDZ, Franjo Tudjman, was born 100 years ago.

“I think that President Tudjman achieved all the goals he set out in his speech in the Croatian Parliament on 30 May 1990 after the first democratic election. It is up to us to improve them in new international circumstances and new economic circumstances in the face of global challenges. We should do all we can for the benefit of Croatian society and Croatian citizens,” Plenkovic said, describing Tudjman as “a Croatian great and the biggest Croatian statesman in history.”

Plenkovic said that Tudjman’s political legacy is the obligation of all those who have won the trust of the Croatian people. Thanking all Croatian defenders and citizens for supporting Tudjman in crucial times, he said that the situation in the 1990s was indeed difficult, given the military aggression by Serbia’s Milosevic regime, and required the courage and boldness of Croatian defenders as well as statesmanship and the wise leadership of the state.

The prime minister said that Croatia has been internationally recognised for 30 years now and has achieved all its strategic goals.

“It is a member of the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. We have a democracy and developed institutions and are making continued progress on what was his goal and that is that we fight and work together to ensure a better life for every Croatian,” Plenkovic said.

He also highlighted Croatia’s care for the Croats abroad, saying that the great value of Tudjman’s policy was to maintain ties between the Croats at home and abroad.

Presidential special adviser Mate Granic said that Tudjman had made historical moves that led to the creation of the modern Croatian state and pursued a policy that helped bring an end to the war in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina and achieve the peaceful reintegration of Serb-occupied territories in Croatia.

Asked if Tudjman would have been pleased with present-day Croatia, Granic said: “From a strategic point of view, absolutely yes. This government of Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic runs a modern, sovereignist policy. This government was also among the first to recognise what would happen in Ukraine and supported Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in their defence against the brutal and unprovoked Russian aggression. This government cares for the Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Unfortunately, after Tudjman’s death, 15 years had to pass before a government came into power than put focus on the status of the Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

The HDZ delegation included Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Tomo Medved, Interior Minister Davor Bozinović, Health Minister Vili Beros, Transport Minister Oleg Butkovic, Defence Minister Mario Banozic, Economy Minister Davor Filipovic, Culture Minister Nina Obuljen Korzinek and former HDZ Secretary-General Ivan Jarnjak.

The HDZ delegation also laid a wreath at Tudjman’s grave at Mirogoj Cemetery in Zagreb.