"We have sent many messages to Serbia in the last two years, expressing our desire for cooperation and peace, but also for truth. There is no doubt for us all that Milosevic and his Greater Serbia regime carried out military aggression on Croatian soil. We want the Serb minority in Croatia to feel good and we are working on that all the time, sending out messages of truth, cooperation and peace," the prime minister said in an interview with HRT public television held outside the Knin fortress where a reception for Croatian wartime military commanders would be held later in the evening.
"We have come to Knin to pay our respects. Operation Storm is the biggest military victory in Croatia's history, in which three-quarters of the occupied territory of Croatia was liberated in just four days," Plenkovic said, emphasising the roles of Generals Mladen Markac and Ante Gotovina, who will be presented with the highest state decorations this evening.
He said he was pleased that on Sunday, Victory Day, the public would be able to see three F-16 multi-purpose fighter jets staging a fly-past above Knin during the main celebration. He said that the purchase of the aircraft was an excellent choice because they strengthened national security and Croatia in every way.
Speaking of war veterans, Plenkovic said that his government was caring about them and their families, adding that budgetary allocations for the veteran community had been increased by half compared to 2016.
Text: Hina