Defence Minister Mario Banozic said on Tuesday that the liberating 1995 Operation Flash "did the Croatian Armed Forces credit" and that he believes that is how this year's commemoration of the 26th anniversary of that operation in Okucani should be marked on 1 May.

Earlier on Tuesday President Zoran Milanovic, who is the supreme commander of the armed forces, said that he was considering not having the army participate in the coming commemoration of the 1995 military and police Operation Flash in Okucani, in order to protect it from politicking, and that he would discuss the matter with Defence Minister Mario Banozic.

“Flash is an operation conducted to the credit of the entire Croatian Army and all the people who as defenders and victims participated in that operation. I think that that (commemorative) event needs to be held accordingly,” Banozic told reporters at the Gasinci military grounds.

Banozic  said that a meeting was held yesterday by representatives of the ministries of veterans’ affairs, interior and defence to define a protocol for the commemoration of the 26th anniversary in compliance with anti-epidemic rules.

“What we are commemorating is to the honor of all Croatian soldiers and the Croatian Army (HV). That is a very significant date for (eastern Croatian region of) Slavonia. (Flash) was an operation that provided an additional motive and courage to carry out other operations that enabled us to have Croatia in its territorial integrity and I think that it needs to be commemorated in that tone,” said Banozic.

Asked whether the army was being used for political ends because soldiers were compelled to stand for hours while politicians passed through the protocol, Banozic said that it is not a problem for the Croatian Army whose members are proud of participating in these protocols.

“We had that in Plitvice (recently) and I don’t see where the problem is. I think that after 30 years events like Flash need to be commemorated in a respectable way,” added Banozic.

The protocol defined intervals because for epidemiological reasons and Banozic does not see any reason to politicize something that is not questionable at all.