Croatian President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Zoran Milanovic presented Croatian generals with high state decorations in Knin on Wednesday evening, saying this was a way of showing that Croatia's path was the right one and not to hurt others.

At a reception, given at the Knin fortress, Milanovic decorated retired Lieutenant General Mladen Kruljac, retired Major General Ivan Ivan Kapular, retired Major General Jozo Milicevic and retired General Zvonko Peternel.

The president also decorated the Military police of the Bosnian Croat Defence Council (HVO) and the HVO special purpose unit “Ludvig Pavlovic.”

Addressing the ceremony given on the occassion of Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day, Veterans Day and the 26th anniversary of Operation Storm, Milanovic said the point of these gatherings was to celebrate Croatia’s successes and not to gloat over the defat of others.

“There had been too much blood and heavy emotions for this to be turned this into some kind of gloating. We are here to decorate the best among you. The decorations I am bestowing here today (…) are not aimed at hurting anyone, they are aimed at underlining the validity and greatness of our path,” Milanovic said.

In 1995, we put an end to Croatia’s occupation and to everything that was bothering, hurting and destroying us for several years, The bravest, the smartest, the most determined among you have made that battle possible. The Americans were and still are our friends, but if it hadn’t been for you, soldiers and police, and the then political and military leaders, we would not have this, Milanovic said.

Here, for the second year in a row, I will decorate our brothers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, our fellow-fighters and members of our people living in another country who made sacrifices for the common goal, Milanovic said.

He added he was confident that those in Bosnia and Herzegovina who criticised his decision to decorate the HVO units would understand.

The ceremony was also attended by Milanovic’s Chief of Staff, Orsat Miljenic, the Croatian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Admiral Robert Hranj, president’s advisor on defence and national security Dragan Lozancic and president’s special advisor on war veteras’ affairs Marijan Marekovic.

Also present was Defence Minister Mario Banozic who said he was honored to be in the company of people who were part of the Homeland War and who participated in many operations including Operation Storm.

“When I became defence minister I spoke to many of you (…) and I realised then that when you enter the system of defence and the Croatian Army, you must stop dealing with daily politics. Why? Because this is the only way for the Croatian Army to move forward, get modernised and develop. And that is what you fought for, Banozic said.

He said that during his recent trip to the United States he and U.S. officials talked about the 25 years of partnership between the two countries, adding that the U.S. was and remained the most important ally in forming and transforming the Croatian Army.

“Today we can proudly say that we stand shoulder to shoulder with the biggest army in the world,” Banozic concluded.