Rijeka concluded its three-day commemoration of Victory Day and the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm with dignity. At 10:02 PM, 222 torches were lit, one for each fallen veteran from the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.
On Wednesday, August 6, 2026, Rijeka ceremoniously concluded a three-day program marking Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day, Croatian Veterans Day, and the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm. The most impressive part of the final evening was the magnificent torchlight tribute held at Molo longo.
At exactly 10:02 PM, 222 torches illuminated Rijeka's Molo longo. Each torch was lit in memory of one fallen Croatian veteran from the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, paying lasting tribute and preserving the memory of their sacrifice.
Valter Štefan, a member of the Organizing Committee for the Operation Storm celebration in Rijeka, emphasized the importance of continuing to mark such dates. "It is important to continue commemorating these dates so that the sacrifice of Croatian veterans is never forgotten and so that the tragedies of war never repeat," Štefan said.
Claudio Vukonić, president of the Association of Homeland War Organizations of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, explained that the final day of the commemoration began in the morning. The program included visits to memorials at Ljubovo and wreath-laying ceremonies at the memorial in Gospić. Vukonić noted that many veteran reunions, after more than 30 years, were deeply moving, and the entire program reflected unity and gratitude toward those who gave their lives for Croatian freedom.
The concert by the rock band Opća opasnost, which drew many Rijeka residents and visitors, marked the end of the three-day program. According to lead singer Zoran Mišić, the band always looks forward to returning to Rijeka, and every performance before the Rijeka audience brings a special feeling.
This year's celebration once again proved that Rijeka respectfully preserves the memory of one of the key dates in modern Croatian history.
