President Ivo Josipovic on Friday presented the Charter of the Republic of Croatia to veterans of the 1st guard brigade Tigrovi and the Interior Ministry's special operations unit Rakitje on their 20th anniversary.
Honouring them for their contribution to the 1991-95 war and the protection of peace and constitutional order, Josipovic said Tigrovi (Tigers) had been the assault units of the emerging Croatian army.
"Thanks to you, we have joined NATO and will soon enter the community of European peoples. At home, however, we still have a lot to do, so we can consider your war cry 'For Croatia as a tiger' as very current in Croatia's new circumstances," said Josipovic.
A law-based, fair, democratic, rich and prosperous Croatia is our goal, but also a commitment that we owe to all who gave their lives and health for those ideals, he added.
Tigrovi officials Andrija Kolobaric and Zdravko Andabak recalled that eight brigade members went missing during the Homeland War, 345 were killed, 1,700 were wounded and 201 were tortured in Serb detention camps.
