The local branch of the party demands an explanation from the Mayor of Župa dubrovačka Municipality because their wreath, laid at the memorial in Mandaljena, was moved behind the monument, and the municipal wreath was placed in its place.
The HDZ of Župa dubrovačka has strongly reacted to the move by the Municipality's Mayor, Marko Miloslavić, accusing him of moving their wreath, laid on the occasion of Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day, from the memorial in Mandaljena to make room for the Municipality's wreath in a prominent position. The entire event casts a shadow over the commemoration of the 31st anniversary of the military-police operation Storm, which is celebrated across Croatia as the greatest victory in the Homeland War.
According to the HDZ of Župa dubrovačka, their representatives, in the presence of municipal councilors, party members, and Croatian veterans, laid a wreath and paid tribute to the fallen in the morning hours, precisely at 9 a.m. They pointed out that the Municipality had only announced its laying ceremony last night. However, during the evening of the same day, they found that their wreath had been removed from its original spot and moved behind the memorial.
In the place where their wreath had stood, the wreath of the Municipality of Župa dubrovačka was placed, laid by Mayor Marko Miloslavić and his associates. In a statement dated August 6, 2026, the HDZ clearly stated that they expect an explanation.
"We believe that every tribute to Croatian veterans is equally valuable and that there should be no room for highlighting anyone's protocol or political function. We expect the Mayor to explain to the public the reasons for such conduct," the HDZ of Župa dubrovačka stated.
In a sharply worded statement, the local HDZ emphasizes that a wreath is an expression of piety, not a means to score political points. They acknowledge that they can understand that their wreath was briefly moved for the sake of photographing the municipal delegation, but they stress that it is unacceptable that it was not returned to its original position afterward.
"A wreath is not a political poster nor a means to score political points. It is an expression of piety toward the fallen Croatian veterans and, as such, deserves equal respect, regardless of who lays it or when they announced their arrival."
They also add that the area around the memorial in Mandaljena is not so cramped as to justify such a move. "The space around the memorial is large enough for both wreaths to have stood side by side, without the need to move either of them," they state. They say they tried to get an explanation from Mayor Miloslavić before issuing the statement, but were unable to reach him by the time the text was finalized.
While the controversy over the wreath unfolds in Župa dubrovačka, the President of the HDZ and the Government, Andrej Plenković, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, Ivan Anušić, marked the 31st anniversary of Operation Storm in Knin. Plenković met with the leaders of the Šibenik-Knin and Knin HDZ, County Prefect Paško Rakić and Robert Marić, where discussions were held on infrastructure projects to improve the quality of life for citizens.
Plenković paid tribute to the fallen on social media, highlighting the role of the first President, Franjo Tuđman. "More than three decades ago, Croatian veterans, soldiers, and police officers, under the leadership of the first President Franjo Tuđman, achieved the greatest victory in the Homeland War," Plenković wrote, adding that the Government is dedicated to finding the missing and modernizing the Croatian Army.
Ivan Anušić also emphasized the significance of the anniversary on Twitter. "In Knin, we marked the 31st anniversary of the magnificent Croatian victory in the Homeland War, the military-police operation Storm, which brought freedom and peace to our homeland," Anušić said, adding that today's Croatia, as an EU and NATO member, invests more than ever in its armed forces.
