BREZOVICA, June 22 (Hina) - The central celebration of Croatia's Day of the Anti-Fascist Struggle was held on Tuesday in Brezovica Forest near Sisak (some 50 kilometres south-east of Zagreb) in front of the monument erected to the
first organised and armed anti-fascist unit in Croatia and the then enslaved Europe. That unit of partisans was set up in Brezovica Forest on June 22, 1941. A delegation of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, led by retired General Janko Bobetko, a delegation of the Croatian Sabor, representatives of the Alliance of Anti-Fascist Veterans (SABH), a delegation of the Social and Democratic Party (SDP) and local authorities laid wreaths at the Monument in Brezovica. On this occasion, General Bobetko, who was a member of the First Sisak Unit, held a speech. "On this day when we celebrate the Day of the Anti-Fascist Struggle we can report to the whole Croatian nation a
BREZOVICA, June 22 (Hina) - The central celebration of Croatia's
Day of the Anti-Fascist Struggle was held on Tuesday in Brezovica
Forest near Sisak (some 50 kilometres south-east of Zagreb) in
front of the monument erected to the first organised and armed anti-
fascist unit in Croatia and the then enslaved Europe. That unit of
partisans was set up in Brezovica Forest on June 22, 1941.
A delegation of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, led by retired
General Janko Bobetko, a delegation of the Croatian Sabor,
representatives of the Alliance of Anti-Fascist Veterans (SABH), a
delegation of the Social and Democratic Party (SDP) and local
authorities laid wreaths at the Monument in Brezovica.
On this occasion, General Bobetko, who was a member of the First
Sisak Unit, held a speech.
"On this day when we celebrate the Day of the Anti-Fascist Struggle
we can report to the whole Croatian nation and the entire world, to
those who gathered in this forest on June 22, 1941 that the dream of
those Croatian people who lost their lives in World war Two have
become true and that we have thus assumed obligation to preserve the
united, democratic, social and free Croatian State for future
generations," Bobetko said.
This date (June 22) entered the history of the Croatian people as
well as in the history of the civilisation as the victory of Anti-
Fascism. On this day Croatia is registered as an important factor in
the active participation in the anti-fascist struggle of Europe and
the world. Croatia aligned itself with the victorious Anti-Fascist
Coalition. Today we are not here just formally, but we are obliged
to respect everything the Croatian people did in World War Two, the
retired Croatian General stressed.
He added that Croats could be proud of having had such luck as well
as such difficulty to endure all historical challenges. "Today in
Brezovica we can, proudly and in a dignified manner, celebrate
today's holiday which is not symbolical but the real factor in
realising dreams of several generations of the Croatian people,"
Bobetko said.
The fact that one belonged to one side or to the other, is the
destiny of small peoples, as they do not decide about themselves.
During the Homeland War (1991-1995), the Croatian people took its
destiny in hand and there is no justification for mistakes which are
being done in the construction of our democratic society, he said
adding that "we shall strongly resist those who would like to turn
the wheel of history back."
Gen. Bobetko called on the gathered to re-embrace principles which
guarantee that they would educate and prepare coming generations of
the Croatian nation for what is awaiting them in the future.
The delegations also laid wreaths and lit candles at the Cross to
Croatian Homeland War Veterans at the Sisak cemetery Viktorovac.
(hina) ms