Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Wednesday that Croatia had become a strong and resilient state thanks to the 1991-1995 Homeland War, adding that no one could deny the historical fact that Operation Storm was a legitimate liberation operation.
"Today we are a strong and resilient country, a member of the European Union and NATO, part of the Schengen area and the eurozone. We are more strategically important in energy than ever before. We are not a country whose fate is decided by others, but one that helps shape the European and Euro-Atlantic future," Jandroković said at the central ceremony marking Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day, Croatian Veterans Day and the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm.
He said the passage of time had made the scale of Croatia’s victory in 1995 even clearer, noting that the country had achieved goals that once seemed out of reach.
Jandroković said the courage and sacrifice of Croatian veterans had made independence possible and paid tribute to those who defended the country, those who lost their lives and their families.
He described Operation Storm as an unquestionably just and legitimate liberation operation, adding that "no amount of historical revisionism" could change that fact, despite attempts "both in neighbouring countries and, regrettably, in Croatia".
Jandroković said commemorating the victory also reaffirmed Croatia’s commitment to the values defended in the Homeland War – freedom, peace, patriotism and political pluralism.
He said those values, secured through the unity of Croatian veterans and the leadership of Croatia’s first president, Franjo Tuđman, had become the foundations of the modern Croatian state.
"It is our generation’s responsibility to preserve the truth about the Homeland War," he said.
Evading responsibility for past events could serve as preparation for future conflicts
Jandroković also stressed the importance of supporting Croatian historians in conducting objective research, particularly into the country’s 20th-century history, which he said had often been interpreted through ideological bias and, at times, in ways contrary to Croatia’s interests.
He said some historical narratives had selectively rehabilitated certain crimes and perpetrators while overlooking that Croats had been victims of both Greater Serbian aggression and two totalitarian regimes – the Ustasha regime and the communist regime.
"We must recognise attempts to impose false narratives and respond to them firmly, calmly, with dignity and on the basis of facts," he said.
The Sabor Speaker warned that, without such an approach, even what he described as the brightest chapters of Croatia’s history, including Operation Storm, would remain vulnerable to attempts to distort historical facts by those who continue to question the legitimacy of the Croatian state.
He said such efforts sought to evade responsibility for past events and could also serve as preparation for future conflicts.
Jandroković said the Homeland War had taught Croatia that peace could never be taken for granted and that every generation had a responsibility to safeguard the freedom won by Croatian veterans.
He said veterans had defended the country not so future generations could live off the legacy of their victory, but to build further success in science, education, the economy, innovation, strong institutions, national identity and a society in which everyone could live with dignity.
He said this was particularly important at a time of growing global uncertainty, with war once again close to Croatia’s wider neighbourhood and challenges ranging from hybrid threats and cyberattacks to energy and economic insecurity, migration and climate-related crises.
"In these circumstances, Croatia must remain strong, secure and democratic. It must remain a reliable ally and a responsible member of the European and Euro-Atlantic community, while always putting its national interests first," he said.
Jandroković called for the spirit of unity shown during Operation Storm to be preserved as Croatia faced future challenges.
"August 5 is not only a remembrance of a historic victory, but also a reminder of what we can achieve if we remain faithful to the values that brought us freedom, recognise our own strengths and preserve our unity," he said.