President Zoran Milanovic said in Vukovar on Sunday that Major General Blago Zadro gave everything for Croatia and that Croatia will not forget him because it does not forget its heroes.

Speaking at an event commemorating the 31st anniversary of Zadro and Colonel Alfred Hill’s death, by a memorial honouring Zadro at the Trpinjska Cesta location, Milanović said that Zadro became a military leader even though he had not been trained for it.

“That happened because he was not only courageous but had what few people have – energy that turns into strength,” said Milanovic.

“It was here that Croatia was created, moving unstoppably towards its independence, but if it had not been for Vukovar, independence would have come later, in less favourable circumstances. That is why the sacrifice of those people is huge and indescribable,” he said.

Croatia became a state “exactly owing to such people, and that state is an instrument for the defence of national interests,” Milanovic said.

Croatia defended itself unarmed, while under an arms embargo, and the Croatian Army liberated its territory, making the Dayton agreement possible and enabling negotiations, Milanovic said.

It takes two for friendship and tolerance

Speaking of relations with neighbouring countries, Milanovic said that “it takes two for friendship and tolerance.”

“If I go every year to Jasenovac, Grubori and Varivode, I do not expect anyone to worship me for that, but to at least give a nod to the Croat victims at Ovcara. That would be fair, and there is no Europe, good relations or understanding without that.”

The envoy for the prime minister and State Secretary at the Croatian War Veterans Ministry, Spiro Janovic, said that 31 years ago Borovo Naselje lost its legendary commander and Croatia one of its Homeland War heroes.

Three decades later, the memory of Blago Zadro and other Croatian heroes is not fading. We all need today his vision, patriotism and strength, Janović said.
Addressing the event, the envoy for the parliament speaker, Nikola Mazar, said, among other things, that Zadro was one of the best commanders in the Homeland War.