Today with great pride we remember Operation Storm, which 25 years ago liberated most of then-occupied Croatian territory and returned it to Croatia’s legal and constitutional order. That goal cost many lives and caused great suffering during the four years of war – victims that the Homeland is eternally grateful for.
Operation Storm created preconditions for the establishment of peace, enabled the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube Region and stopped the war in neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Today, Croatia is a member of the UN, EU, NATO and numerous international organizations, known in Europe and the world for its policy of supporting peace and building partnership among countries and nations.
To all the Croats at home and abroad as well as all Croatian citizens, I congratulate the Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and Veterans Day!