Josipovic praised their commitment in the defence of the country and their contribution in peacetime. He said that Operation Flash was a prelude to the eventual liberation of the country and that the result of their efforts was a free and democratic Croatian state.
Forty-two Croatian personnel were killed and 162 were wounded in the operation, which was one of the corner stones of the defensive and just Homeland War, the President said.
Josipovic expressed hope that the peacetime generations would protect Croatia's economic and political interests just as the veterans had during the war.
"There are things that Croatia can do. Today it is on the European Union's doorstep, which is a great achievement, and through accession negotiations it has become a better country and society, but we have not yet resolved the economic problems, not just because of the general economic crisis, but also because of our own weaknesses. It is time to identify them and to start an uncompromising fight for new jobs and for the prosperity and progress of Croatia both within the EU and on the global political level," Josipovic said.
"The challenges faced by Croatia during the military aggression and your response to them will remain a lasting part of Croatian history. Time passes, but we shall never forget the operations and members of the armed forces who gave the most for our freedom and country," he said. "The way in which you responded to the challenges and the brilliant victory in the Homeland War continue to serve as an encouragement today when our country is facing an economic crisis that is seriously threatening the economy. Unfortunately, more and more people are left without work and there is also a growing number of those who work without being paid. It is a peacetime challenge that can be compared in its gravity with the challenges you coped with during the war," he added.
"I am confident that Croatia has the strength and self-confidence and the confidence in victory it had in the Homeland War and that it will successfully overcome the present problems. Your commitment to the noble cause of defence of the Republic of Croatia still serves as a model to all the people who are leading our Croatian homeland," Josipovic said.
Operation Flash began on May 1 and ended on May 3, 1995, involving about 7,200 Croatian soldiers and policemen who regained control of some 500 square kilometres of land in the Western Slavonia region after nearly four years of Serb occupation.