In HRT's Dnevnik, the Defense Minister compared the treatment of prisoners during the Homeland War with what Croatian defenders endured, emphasizing the importance of the human factor in military modernization.
Defense Minister Ivan Anušić appeared on HRT's Dnevnik on the occasion of the Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and the Day of Croatian Defenders in Knin. He reflected on this year's celebration and his own wartime experience, particularly recalling Operation Bljesak and the moment a group of enemy soldiers surrendered.
Anušić described how, during Operation Bljesak, between ten and fifteen soldiers surrendered. He stressed that none of them experienced any mistreatment. "Ten or fifteen of them surrendered. No one literally even looked at them, let alone harmed them. They received everything they needed, were taken to their families, given civilian clothes, and went wherever they wanted," the minister stated for HRT's Dnevnik.
He then drew a sharp parallel with the fate of Croatian prisoners. "Look at our prisoners who returned, look at those who didn't return, how they were massacred and what was done to them. That is the difference between us and some others," Anušić said.
Recalling the early days of the Homeland War, the minister reminded of Croatia's difficult position in 1990, when it was unarmed and unprotected. He emphasized that the state managed to defend itself solely thanks to courage, organization, and improvisation. After international recognition, Croatia liberated its occupied territory in 1995.
Commenting on the current state and modernization of the Croatian Armed Forces, Anušić stressed that acquiring the most modern equipment is not enough. "The human is key; without them, nothing exists. A Rafale is nothing without a pilot; it's a 'piece of steel'," he stated.
The minister confirmed that the Ministry of Defense continues to equip the military, but also that investments are being made in improving the material rights and working conditions of armed forces members. "We are seriously raising the standard here. What is crucial for the Croatian people is that when we are together, we are invincible, and whenever needed, that unity comes out," Anušić concluded.
This year's program in Knin featured flyovers by helicopters and Rafale fighter jets, a performance by the Krila Oluje aerobatic team, and the participation of veterans.
