The main celebration will be held on Tuesday, to be attended by President Ivo Josipovic, Parliament Speaker Josip Leko, Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic, and General Ante Gotovina, who planned and led the operation together with the late General Janko Bobetko.

Maslenica was the first major liberation operation launched by the Croatian military and police, beginning at 6 a.m. on 22 January 1993. Over the next three days, Croatian defenders liberated about 15 villages in the Zadar hinterland as well as several strategic points. As a result of the operation, the south and north of Croatia were reconnected.

Operation Maslenica was key for the defence of Croatia from the Yugoslav-Serbian military aggression and for the further actions by the Croatian military and police. In its first three days, 19 soldiers and police were killed, while 70 were wounded. Until 31 March 1993, 127 Croatian defenders were killed as a result of the heavy attacks launched by the Serbian aggressors in the operation's aftermath.