ZAGREB, 4 Nov (Hina) - The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Croatia, Leonyd Kerestedzhiyants, on Monday presented Croatia's President Franjo Tudjman with the high Russian state decoration 'Zukov Medal' for his active
contribution to the victory over fascism. The decision on the decoration was made by the President of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin.
ZAGREB, 4 Nov (Hina) - The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to
Croatia, Leonyd Kerestedzhiyants, on Monday presented Croatia's
President Franjo Tudjman with the high Russian state decoration
'Zukov Medal' for his active contribution to the victory over
fascism. The decision on the decoration was made by the President
of the Russian Federation, Boris Yeltsin. #L#
'Zukov Medal' was awarded on the occasion of the 100th
anniversary of the birth of Marshall Zukov.
Delivering the medal, Ambassador Kerestedzhiyants said that
tonight's ceremony symbolized the unity of Croatian and Russian
joint efforts, but not only the past ones. Both sides had done a
lot to strengthen mutual trust and cooperation, he said.
Thanking for the award, President Tudjman said that, as a
member of the anti-fascist fight, he received the medal not only as
a sign of personal acknowledgment, but as a sign of the
acknowledgment of Croatia's anti-fascist movement.
During World War II, Croatia had an anti-fascist movement
which was better organized and had better results than any other
anti-fascist movement in other parts of the former Yugoslavia.
A larger Partisan movement existed only on the territory of
the Soviet Union, Tudjman said.
During World War II, the Croat people were on the side of
anti-fascism, not because they wanted Communism, but because the
anti-fascist movement claimed it was fighting for a free,
democratic, federal Croatia and for the right of the Croat people
to self-determination.
Such anti-fascist movements in Croatia led to the
establishment of a federal Croatia during the war. They also led to
the fact that the Croatian anti-fascist movement had formed five
Partisan corps, out of the total of nine Yugoslav corps, before the
liberation of Serbia. Serbia had been liberated by Partisan
fighters from Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro, who fought together
with Soviet and Bulgarian armies.
The role of Croatia's anti-fascist fight and movement was of
great historic importance and Croatia managed to put together all
parts of its history in the foundations of today's state and its
anti-fascist movement.
At the end of World War II, Croatia was on the side of anti-
fascist coalition, which had won the war. The whole post-war order
had been created on the basis of that coalition. 'Without Croatia's
contribution to the victory of the anti-fascist coalition, it would
not be possible to establish Croatia as it is today'.
'That is why I receive the medal awarded to me by the
President of the Russian Federation with great respect and
gratitude. This medal is a sign of historical ties between Russia
and Croatia, which are strong and which in present days can serve
the interests of both states, as well as peace and the
establishment of a new order in Europe', President Tudjman said.
Present at the decoration ceremony were also Russian military
envoy, Brigadier Aleksandar Ivanovic Jerohin, Croatian Premier
Zlatko Matesa, Defence Minister Gojko Susak, Foreign Minister Mate
Granic and other high state and army officials.
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