prijava
MOSTAR, August 3 (FENA) - The Croat People’s Assembly (HNS) said in a statement for the media that the announcement from the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović that he was about to decorate the units of the Croat Defense Council (HVO) and the Ministry of the Interior of the Bosnian Croat wartime statelet of ‘Herceg-Bosna’, “is a true move of a statesman recognizing the role of the HVO as a legitimate military force of the Croat people which defended Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also gave its immeasurable contribution to the freedom of the Croat people.”
President Milanović's move, the HNS points out, pays tribute to our unity in the Homeland War, which resulted in a magnificent victory and liberation of the occupied areas of Croatia by marking our greatest and common historical victory and the anniversary of the military operation 'Storm'.
"President Milanović has recognized this and decided to use his constitutional powers as the President of the Republic of Croatia, but also as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia. With this decision, he made a strong political act that Croats in BiH especially appreciate ', stated the HNS.
"By awarding the decorations, the HVO and the ‘Herceg-Bosna’ MoI, as legitimate Croat military forces, are officially being placed where they belong 25 years after the Homeland War - in the proud and magnificent top of the Homeland War," the statement said.
"We have never, even in the most difficult moments, bowed down or agreed to tarnish the real role of the Croat Defense Council, which was the only one, from the very beginning, to defend both of the homelands of the Croat people. Attempts at historical revisionism, which the HVO and our defenders are still witnessing in Bosnia and Herzegovina today, are something we will never agree to, nor will we give up our fight for truth and justice," the HNS stated.
They remind that the signed Split Declaration of July 22, 1995, enabled the final unblocking of Bihać and the joint operation of the Croatian Army, the HVO and the BiH Army units.
"Those who still challenge the role of the HVO forget that without this joint operation, the Bihać region would be hit by the tragic fate of Srebrenica.
This operation created key preconditions for ending the Serbian aggression and later signing the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Dayton. These are historical facts they must not and will not be forgotten, nor do we allow the role of the HVO in achieving lasting peace in this region to be diminished or tarnished in any way, '' the HNS BiH said in a statement.
(FENA) S. R.
