Kolinda poured oil to the fire for Serbs: "The Storm" was brilliant victory under the leadership of Tudjman
Kitarovic reminds that 5th August 1995 "is the day when we crowned our centuries long battle with a brilliant military victory for national freedom and state independence under the leadership of our first president Franjo Tudjman"
Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic sent her congratulations on the occasion of the Victory day and the day of Croatian Defenders to all Croatian citizens in the homeland and abroad and especially to all Croatian Defenders and participants of the "Storm", saying that 5th August is one of the most important days in Croatian history.
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22 years anniversary is being marked from the military-police operation Storm, which is marked by official Zagreb as the Defender's day, while 4th and 5th August in Serbia are marked with commemorations and with a memorial day for all victims and banished people in that operation.
Kitarovic reminds that 5th August 1995 "is the day when we crowned our centuries long battle with a brilliant military victory for national freedom and state independence under the leadership of our first president Franjo Tudjman".
According to her, Croatia is now facing a major task of economic, demographic and moral renewal of the society, and she is convinced that there is strength in Croatia, determination, and knowledge to succeed in that task, "as we were successful in liberating our only and dear Croatia".
For Serbia, the military operation Storm is the most massive and one of the most brutal ethnic cleansing that occurred in the wars on the territory of the former SFRY, where about 62% of the victims were civilians.
The entire operation of the Croatian military had the goal to emigrate the citizens of Serbian nationality, and there were records of the burning, robbery, and liquidations of the few Serbs who didn't want to leave their homes.
The number of refugees is differently estimated - Croatian sources have data of 90,000 people, the UN about 150,000, and Serbia has data of at least 250.000.
No one answered for the crimes committed during the "Storm" in Croatia.