Parliament observes a minute's silence for Croatia's first president Tuđman

Zagreb - At the start of Friday's sitting, parliament observed a minute's silence in honour of Croatia's first president, the late Franjo Tuđman, on the occasion of his 100^th birthday.

Tuđman's politics always put the interests of the Croatian people and state first, Speaker Gordan Jandroković said.

- His words still echo loudly. Always and everything for Croatia, and our only and eternal Croatia for nothing, he said, thanking Tuđman for everything he had done for Croatia.

- Tuđman was a historian and statesman who made his vision a reality, and his vision was a sovereign, free and democratic Croatia, an equal member of the European family, Jandroković said.

The path to that was difficult and required exceptional political and statesmanly skills and, above all, love for one's people and country, he said, recalling the first multi-party election, the inauguration of parliament, the independence referendum, the Homeland War, and the liberation operations Flash and Storm.

- Franjo Tuđman set the foundations of the modern Croatian state, and his vision was rounded off with Croatia's accession to the EU and NATO, Jandroković said.

He thanked Croatian defenders, saying they also deserve a lot of credit for the free and independent Croatia.

This morning, Jandroković led a parliamentary delegation that laid a wreath at Tuđman's grave at Zagreb's Mirogoj cemetery.