ZEMUNIK, Aug 5 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Monday participated in the central manifestation of the Croatian Air Force on occasion of the Homeland Thanksgiving Day at the Zadar Air Force School in Zemunik near
Zadar.
ZEMUNIK, Aug 5 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Monday
participated in the central manifestation of the Croatian Air Force
on occasion of the Homeland Thanksgiving Day at the Zadar Air Force
School in Zemunik near Zadar. #L#
Addressing all people present at the ceremony, Tudjman said,
"The Croatian Air Force is the youngest branch of the Croatian
armed force, a force which appeared before the world out of nothing
in order to change strategic relations in this part of the Balkans,
the southeastern Europe on the territory of former Yugoslavia, in
order to establish, defend the independent and democratic Croatian
state, in order to enable the whole international community,
primarily the United States, the main world power, to play its role
in ending the evil of war and in establishing peace in neighbouring
Bosnia".
Recalling that Croatian Air Force Commander General Culetic
had mentioned the Air Force's role in the famous military
operations "Storm", "Flash" and "Maestral" in the summer of 1995,
Tudjman said that even before these magnificent enterprises, the
Croatian air force "played an important role in equipping the
Croatian troops, not only that, but also in maintaining Croathood
in central Bosnia-Herzegovina, when it was on the verge of
dissipation, when Croatian troops could only be supplied under
night, rain and fog conditions so that they might survive, save the
Croathood in Bosnia and maintain Croatia's strategic interests, as
well as those of the wider western civilization".
"For many, those were days of uncertainty, days of sobering
up, in which services of the biggest world powers reckoned that
Croatia would not be able to stand its ground, to survive.
In those days, we created not only Croatian armed land troops,
but we also created the Croatian air force in a way which has not
been registered in the whole of world history of forming an armed
force, because we had the people who could hardly wait to hoist
Croatian flags in the Croatian sky, who had the hearts, brains and
courage to work towards Croatia's freedom, to give their lives for
it, because they knew that they were opening new pages in Croatia's
history," Tudjman said.
After his speech, Tudjman called the Croatian Air Force cadets
to be worthy of the heroes and knights of the Croatian Air Force
from the homeland war.
He called them to continue evolving the Croatian Air Force so
that the Croatian sky could remain free.
Croatian Air Force Commander Major General Josip Culetic
presented President Tudjman with the highest air force
commendation, the rank of the Croatian Air Force honorary pilot and
a golden flight badge.
In his speech, Culetic recalled the role of the Croatian Air
Force in the homeland war.
The Croatian Air Force was a part of a victorious army and
could be proud of the glow of its victories, Culetic.
Tudjman presented posthumous awards for bravery and heroism to
the families of Croatian Air Force members who had been killed
during the war.
A ceremonious flight programme was performed in the end in
which pilots showed their skills in various helicopters and
aircraft.
(hina) lm
051417 MET aug 96