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Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković on Friday congratulated all MPs, Croats and all Croatian citizens on Independence Day, October 8, saying the "independent and sovereign Croatia was founded on the Homeland War, which was liberating and legitimate in the defence of the Croatian people and state from Great Serbia's military aggression."
Jandroković recalled that on 8 October 1991 the Croatian parliament adopted a unanimous decision on severing Croatia's state ties with the other republics and provinces of the former Yugoslavia, saying the decision was the final act of a separation process that began on June 25, when parliament adopted a declaration on independent and sovereign Croatia and a constitutional decision on Croatia's sovereignty and independence.
"Those state political-legal acts founded the modern Croatia and realised the centuries-long aspirations of the Croatian people and the most important political vision of the first Croatian President, Franjo Tuđman, and the then state leadership, which we should thank them for," Jandroković said in parliament.
"The Croatian parliament once again showed its key role in the defence of national sovereignty and statehood, of freedom and democracy," he said, adding that parliament held that historic session in the basement of the INA oil company's headquarters because on 7 October 1991 Yugoslav People's Army aircraft targeted parliament and government houses in an attempt to kill Croatia's leadership.
Jandroković thanked Croatian defenders, civilians and their families for having accepted the defence of the country as the most honourable task.
"The Croatian parliament has played a key role in the adoption of decisions important for the creation and defence of the Croatian state. Its role throughout Croatian history, notably recent history, obliges us, through serious, systematic, brave and consistent action, to successfully realise our political visions for the good of Croatian society." (Hina)