The mayor of Sinj and Most MP sharply criticized the organization of the Operation Storm celebration, stating that the 'elite and deserters' had fenced themselves off from the citizens.
The mayor of Sinj and Member of Parliament from Most, Miro Bulj, sparked strong reactions at the central celebration of Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day in Knin. On his Facebook profile, he posted a video in which he physically removes the protective tape that separated citizens from the area designated for the state leadership and guests at the stadium.
Bulj did not mince words when describing the scene he encountered at the anniversary celebration of the military-police operation Storm. "Look at what's happening - barriers to keep them safe, how should I put it - the croissant battalion," Bulj says in the footage posted on August 5, 2026, alluding to the security personnel and the event's organization.
Alongside the video, he also wrote a lengthy post in which he called out part of the political establishment. "In free and Croatian Knin, where veterans should come first, the political elite and deserters have fenced themselves off and left the people behind the barrier," Bulj stated.
His criticism was aimed at the very concept of such a celebration, which he believes excludes ordinary people and those most responsible for freedom. "They banned Croatian veterans. Shame on the Croatian people! Shame on you for banning the Croatian people from entering the free city of Knin for the celebration," the MP asserted in the video.
Bulj emphasized that on the most important national holiday, everyone should be together. "On the most magnificent day, we should all be together - the politicians who lead the people and the people in a joint celebration," he wrote. He added that it is time for change: "We will change the way we celebrate Operation Storm if the people give us their trust! Happy Victory Day, Croatian Veterans Day, and Homeland Thanksgiving Day."
The central ceremony in Knin was held according to a protocol that included a traditional morning wake-up call at 6:30 AM, paying tribute to the fallen at the Monument to the Croatian Victory Operation Storm around 9 AM, and the main program at the NK Dinara Stadium and Knin Fortress from 9:40 AM. It was precisely the physical barrier at the stadium, placed between citizens and the official protocol, that prompted Bulj's demonstration and sharp condemnation.
