The former minister and Member of Parliament from the Homeland Movement has put forward a series of proposals for marking Victory Day, including a two-day celebration and a commemorative day for the Croatian Defence Council.
On the 31st anniversary of the military-police operation Storm, Member of Parliament and former Minister of Agriculture Josip Dabro, who also serves as the Secretary-General of the Homeland Movement, presented several initiatives to the public for a different commemoration of the final wartime operations. His proposals include erecting a memorial at the approach to the capital, introducing a new date into the calendar of state commemorative days, and extending the official celebration.
According to Dabro's vision, the state ceremony should in the future span two dates, August 4 and 5, which would potentially require adjustments to existing legislation. As the overarching name and main slogan of the celebration, he proposes the phrase "Day of Croatian Victory."
"This would further emphasize the historical significance of the Croatian victory in the Homeland War," Dabro stated in his announcement.
Among the more prominent initiatives is the proposal to declare August 8 as the Commemorative Day of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO). On that date in 1995, after the 21st Kordun Corps of the Army of the Republic of Serbian Krajina surrendered to General Petar Stipetić and the Croatian Army, the military component of Operation Storm was essentially concluded.
In Dabro's view, marking this day at the state level would serve as a lasting reminder of the coordinated actions of Croatian units in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. "Elevating the wartime units of the HVO to the highest level of Croatian state and national significance is a historically important message," the MP conveyed.
The third point of his plan concerns the construction of a Croatian Triumphal Arch of Victory in Zagreb. The MP proposes that this monument be placed on one of the busy city roads at the entrance to the capital. According to his vision, the arch would pay tribute to the state leadership, the first President Franjo Tuđman, and the Croatian soldiers who operated in the territory of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1991 to 1995.
As he envisioned, it would highlight key historical events and their symbols. Dabro did not specify the expected construction cost, the precise micro-location, or the funding sources for the project in his announcement.
While the debate over future ways of marking the occasion continues, tributes are being paid across the country on the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm. In Pitomača, at King Tomislav Square, beside the monument dedicated to Croatian defenders, a ceremony of laying wreaths and lighting candles was held in memory of all fallen and deceased participants of the Homeland War.
Paying their respects, led by the municipality head Željko Grgačić, were council members of the Municipal Council, delegations from the Croatian Army, police, and fire brigade, as well as families of fallen defenders. A prayer for the deceased was led by the local parish priest Darko Kelemenić.
