The central manifestation on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the military-police action "Storm" was held today in Knin, and was marked by the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister from the Serbian national minority, Boris Milošević, and conciliatory speeches by the Croatian leadership, with messages of reverence for the victims of the war, regardless of their nationality.
Prime Minister and President of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) Andrej Plenković expressed regret for all civilian victims of the war in Croatia, both Serbs and Croats.
"As a country that won the imposed war, we mourn for all the victims, we mourn for all the civilians, not only Croats, but also Serbs, as well as other nationalities," Plenković said in a speech on the Knin square on the occasion of the anniversary of "The Storm", which is celebrated as the Day of Victory and Homeland Gratitude and the Day of Croatian Veterans.
He emphasized that the "Storm" was legally legitimate, militarily inevitable and politically necessary in the war imposed by the Great Serbian regime of Slobodan Milosevic.
"We are also sorry for the victims of war crimes committed on the Croatian side. The legitimate right to defense is not and cannot be an excuse for wrongdoing - and every such act is painful for all the victims' families and an ugly scar on the just face and defensive character of the Homeland War," he said. the prime minister.
Plenković emphasized that he expects piety towards all victims from Croatian society, especially representatives of Serbs, who should clearly condemn crimes against Croats.
He assessed that it is important that the Croatian Serbs see in "Storm" not only the exodus of their people, but also the end of the multi-year war that created the conditions for their return, as well as the return of the exiled Croats.
"We are aware that our victory in the Storm was traumatic for many Croatian Serbs, who primarily associate it with the departure of a part of the Serbian population from their homes and homelands in the previously occupied territories. While for the majority of Croats, it was primarily a forced flight organized and ordered by the Knin rebels, for many Serbs it is still a flight from the Croatian forces," said the prime minister.
He assessed that it is time to "calmly" look at the layering of events at that time.
In his speech, he reminded that numerous Croatian Serbs throughout the country shared the fate of their fellow citizens of Croatian nationality throughout the war and that many of them participated in the defense of Croatia, which, he added, is something to be proud of.
He emphasized that reverence should be shown for the thousands of innocent Croatian victims from Vukovar to Dubrovnik via Vocin, Saborski and Škabrnja, but also for the innocent Serbian victims from Paulin Dvor to Varivod.
This, he emphasized, does not call into question the legitimacy or justice of the Homeland War, nor diminish the victory in the "Storm", but shows the generosity and humanity of the winner who "regrets every stumble or unprevented crime".
The President of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, assessed in his speech that the relations between Croatia and Serbia must be better and said that he will do everything he can to improve them, and that it is up to the other side to try the same.
He said that Serbian-Croatian relations have been complicated for more than 100 years, that there have been conflicts, bloodshed, civil wars and aggression.
"After that, there's no way we'll enter the phase of normal relations in which respect and constructiveness will prevail. It's as if we're still burdened by the things that burdened us and are the result of aggression from the XNUMXs," Milanović emphasized.
He added that he knows that he is speaking from the position of a Croat and that what he considers to be "a bigger problem in the politics that Belgrade is leading today" will be treated as non-objective, but that "good will and faith exist".
"We want to cooperate, work, do business... Simply to enter into a boring long constant, a new paradigm of relations, because the relations of these two peoples here in this part of Europe are very important," the Croatian president pointed out.
He also emphasized that the war was imposed on Croatia.
"Fortunately, we have never sunk into the abyss of moral catastrophe, and that has happened in the history of some other nations. There were mistakes, there were crimes, which are not only humanly and Christianly bad, but they later cost us money," Milanović pointed out. judging that it was a great lesson.
He pointed out that he particularly appreciates the presence in Knin of the Deputy Prime Minister from the Serbian national minority, Boris Milošević.
"To come here and celebrate, and this is a celebration, not a commemoration... To come here and join Croatians in celebrating a date, it's not a mathematical linear equation, an algorithm, but an architecture of the heart and a deep emotional issue. It's not a small thing," he stressed. is the Croatian president.
The Speaker of Parliament Gordan Jandroković addressed the gathering and called for the continuation of building a state based on inclusiveness, social justice and solidarity.
Retired Croatian general Ante Gotovina said in an address on behalf of the veterans that the Storm action "determined the future of Croatia, the beginning of the end of the war and the establishment of peace."
"Through the lessons learned from our turbulent and pregnant history, we are stronger, better people, ready to think with optimism and work today for a better tomorrow," said Gotovina.
The Vice President of the Government of Croatia from the Serbian national minority, Boris Milošević, told reporters after the ceremony that he considers his arrival in Knin a pledge for the future and emphasized that all war victims should be respected, regardless of nationality.
"Let the spiral of hatred be broken so that the horrors of war will never be repeated. All victims, regardless of nationality, should be respected. Serbs from Croatia also had their victims and that should be respected," said Milošević, adding that today he heard messages of peace and reconciliation.
When asked about the attacks from Belgrade due to his arrival in Knin, he replied that they were expected, that he understands them as the speech of people who have suffered pain, and that in that sense he does not hold a grudge against anyone.
Milošević is the first high-ranking political representative of Serbs in Croatia to attend the "Storm" celebration, which was assessed in Zagreb as a "strong and important message of reconciliation" in relations between Croats and the Serb minority, but also between Croatia and Serbia.
During the mandate of President Ivo Josipović and Prime Minister of the center-left government Zoran Milanović, the president of the Serbian Democratic Forum, Veljko Džakula, was present at the demonstration in Knin in 2012, but he was not an elected political representative of the Serbs.
Several hundred members of the former paramilitary unit "Croatian Defense Forces" (HOS) and other war units, including those wearing T-shirts with the inscription "Ready for home" who shouted that Ustasha greeting, were not allowed by the police to attend the ceremony today. town square in Knin.
The police said that they did not have accreditation, and the area where the program was held, due to epidemiological measures, received about 600 people.
The representatives of the association were allowed to enter the square after the official program.
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