"It is 15 years since the historic day of 8 October 1991 when the Croatian Parliament reached a decision to break off all constitutional ties with the other Yugoslav republics and provinces. We have realised the Croatian people's centuries-old dream of a sovereign and independent state. Many lives have been woven into the foundations of our country, and our memory of them commits us to steadiness, security and stability based on the rule of law, tolerance and democracy. In the time that followed we have faced numerous challenges and dealt with them successfully.
"Respecting the maturity, strength and determination of the Croatian people to decide their fate on their own, highly appreciating the contributions made by our war veterans and strongly representing the Croatian national interests, Croatia is now moving fast to join the family of European Union countries and the most important institutions of the Euro-Atlantic security community, democracy and freedom," Sanader said in his message.