The incident occurred during President Milanović's speech at the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm, with Keleminec calling the state leadership war deserters.
At the official celebration of the 31st anniversary of the military-police operation Storm in Knin, on August 5, 2026, an incident occurred when a group gathered around Dražen Keleminec began chanting the salute "Za dom spremni". This happened just as President Zoran Milanović was delivering his speech at the city stadium, as reported by Index.hr from Dalmatinski portal.
Addressing his supporters, Keleminec claimed they were forced to listen to "anti-Croatian views from someone who harasses them." He then accused both President Milanović and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković of desertion during the war.
He fled Croatia while we were all defending the Croatian state. That same person, a war deserter, along with Plenković and others, fled Croatia
said Keleminec, as reported by Index.hr citing Dalmatinski portal.
He also commented on the event's organization: "Today they celebrate here, they put up barricades, but when they leave, we can come."
After these words, Keleminec initiated the chanting of the controversial salute three times. "They are against our salute 'Za dom spremni' with which we defended Croatia. They will never take our salute from our hearts," he declared, then shouted "Za dom..." to which the crowd responded "Spremni!".
He also sent a message of defiance against potential sanctions. "The Croatian people will always be ready for their home and their homeland. The police can write reports, but we are not afraid of those reports," he said.
He also claimed that other groups go unpunished. "They can carry Yugoslav flags, say 'Death to fascism, freedom to the people,' and speak against Croatia. But they persecute us only because we are good people, because we love our Croatia," Keleminec said.
He explained that their arrival in Knin was motivated by prayer for all those who gave their lives for Croatia. He added that he faces as many as 80 proceedings which he considers fabricated because, as he claims, he only speaks the truth about the homeland.
"We are not afraid. We weren't afraid in 1991 either, and we won't be afraid now," he concluded his address. To finish, he claimed that Croatia is run by a "Chetnik and communist gang" and that the country needs to be liberated.
