Croatia celebrates Operation Storm with military parade

Croatia celebrates Operation Storm with military parade

Half an hour before the start of the parade, Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, who is the commander-in-chief, drove passed the parked armored vehicles and greeted the citizens, who responded with ovations. She then gave the order to start the parade.

Croatian Defense Minister Ante Kotromanic was in the vehicle with Grabar-Kitarovic. Before this, the guests who gathered on the main stage in Vukovar Street in Zagreb were joined by former Hague war crimes indictee and former Croatian general Ante Gotovina, while another former general and indictee and one of the leaders of Croatia's army during the war, Mladen Markac, took photographs with soldiers participating in the parade.

3,000 members of Croatia's army with 300 vehicles and 30 aircraft took part in the first military parade held in 18 years. Although Croatia invited all NATO members to take part in the parade, none did. Germany, the U.S., Slovenia, and Britain first announced their participation, but then canceled.

The parade was attended by 42 foreign delegations that included ambassadors, military envoy and high ranking military officials.

Due to disagreements among top Croatian officials on how to mark the day, Operation Storm is also celebrated in Knin this Wednesday.