Latest news with #OperationStorm
Euronews
6 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Croatian MEP's wartime photo causes a stir in neighbouring Serbia
A social media post by the European Parliament's rapporteur for Serbia Tonino Picula created a stir in neighbouring Serbia and prompted calls for his removal from his position. Picula, a member of Croatia's centre-left SDP party, tweeted on Tuesday to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Operation Storm, a military operation that effectively put an end to the ethnic Serb parastate and the years-long war in the country. In the photo, a visibly younger Picula in military uniform brandishes a heavy machine gun. "Let us thank everyone who contributed to the defence of the sovereignty and freedom of the Republic of Croatia," the post read. Picula fought on the side of the Croatian army and took part in the Operation Storm, and has previously publicly shared photos from the frontlines. Reactions were swift. Following the condemnation on social networks and in Serbian media, opposition SSP party leader Dragan Đilas criticised Picula, saying the MEP "compromised his position ... because you can't be a rapporteur with an automatic gun in your hands." "We believed you were a man of the future and not of the past. And it was like that until today," Đilas said in a statement on Tuesday. Austrian MEP Harald Vilimsky from the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) and European spokesperson for the Vienna FPÖ parliamentary group Maximilian Krauss slammed what they said was "disturbing and politically highly dangerous". "It is completely inappropriate for an EU rapporteur, who plays a key role in the sensitive dialogue between the EU and Serbia, to post a picture in combat gear, thereby offending many people. This is a serious diplomatic misstep," Vilimsky said in a statement released on Tuesday. "With this post, Picula has impressively demonstrated that he is unsuitable for this role. Anyone who publicly celebrates a military presence while simultaneously issuing constitutional recommendations to Serbia is squandering all credibility. This is an affront to all the victims and displaced persons of this tragedy," Krauss added. The two FPÖ politicians have requested an immediate investigation into Picula's actions by relevant EU authorities, they said. Operation Storm, which took place over the course of four days in early August 1995, remains a contested issue between the two neighbouring countries. Croatia's declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 triggered a rebellion by minority ethnic Serbs who took control of about one-fifth of the country's territory in the Belgrade-backed parastate of the Republic of Serb Krajina. Croatia retook all of its territory in the 1995 military action. UN estimated that around 150,000 ethnic Serbs fled to what is today Serbia and Montenegro, and between 10,000 and 15,000 arrived in the general area of Banja Luka in neighbouring Bosnia. Serbia claims the number surpasses 250,000, on top of numerous civilian victims during the offensive. Most ethnic Serbs have not returned to Croatia following Operation Storm, and the minority now comprises around 3.2% of Croatia's population, according to the 2021 census, significantly less than 12.2% in 1991. This is not the first time that Picula has faced criticism in Serbia. In May, Serbian Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić accused Picula of interference in the domestic affairs of the Western Balkan country after Picula retorted that the statements of President Aleksandar Vučić were becoming "more and more bizarre". Brnabić accused the Croatian MEP of being part of a witch hunt against a sovereign country, saying, "Picula, stay away from Serbia". Picula has repeatedly rejected accusations of harbouring "anti-Serb" sentiments. Euronews has reached out to MEP Picula for comment.
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Heroes and villians: 30 years since the Croatian War of Independence
Once a year, on August 5, the small sleepy town of Knin in Northern Dalmatia becomes the heart of Croatia'spolitical life. The country's political and military elite gather under the flag on the castle ruins above the town, and there are patriotic speeches with pathos galore. It's the "Day of Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving" and the "Day of Croatian Defenders," commemorating the military operation "Oluja" (Storm) carried out from August 4 to 7, 1995. The raising of the oversized flag above Knin Fortress remains to this day a symbol of Croatian troops victory over Serbia during the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. At that time, the Croatian army and police units recaptured the entire Krajina region on the border with Bosnia in a large-scale offensive within 85 hours — thus capturing the largest part of the third of Croatia's territory that had been occupied by Serbs since 1991. Operation Storm also brought about a military turning point in the neighboring war in Bosnia and Herzegovina: In a coordinated action by Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian armies — with limited NATO air support — the long-standing Serbian siege of the western Bosnian city of Bihac was broken and all of Western Bosnia was recaptured. Shortly afterwards, Croatian-Bosnian forces also brought other parts of Bosnia under their control. Serbian-controlled territory shrank from 70% to 49% of the country, ultimately leading to the US-brokered Dayton Peace Agreement. Victims on both sides The wars in former Yugoslavia, which began in 1991 with Slovenia and Croatia's declarations of independence from Yugoslavia and the subsequent Ten-Day War in Slovenia, were provisionally ended. They didn't officially end until four years later, when NATO fought against Serbia in the Kosovo War, which eventually led to the establishment of an independent state of Kosovo. Operation Storm brought about a profound and lasting change for the country: during these 85 hours and immediately afterward, approximately 200,000 Serbs left the Krajina area heading towards Serbia. Many were forcibly expelled, but most fled in fear of revenge from advancing Croatian troops. In the preceding years, more than 170,000 Croats had been displaced from Serbian-dominated areas of Croatia, mainly at the beginning of the war. And hundreds of crimes were committed by Serbian troops against Croatian civilians. As it turned out, this fear was justified: According to the Croatian human rights NGO there was a lot of looting during Operation Storm. Many Serbian houses and even entire villages were destroyed and set on fire. More than 1,000 Serbian civilians who stayed behind were murdered. War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague Even though most of these crimes are well-documented, hardly anyone was prosecuted or convicted for them. Post-war Croatian judicial authorities showed little interest in investigating crimes committed by Croatian soldiers. And neither did the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague find those responsible. While Ante Gotovina, one of the Croatian commanders, and another Croatian army general were sentenced to long prison terms in 2011 over war crimes, both were acquitted in the second instance and released from custody. Even though many refugees have returned to Croatia since the war, Serbs now have only marginal significance in Croatian society. Croatia: A heroic victory Although three decades have passed since Oluja, the assessments of the Serbian and Croatian sides differ significantly. In Croatia, it is clearly viewed positively, seen as a legitimate, justified, and heroic military operation within the framework of a defensive war. For the 30th anniversary, a large military parade was held in the capital Zagreb on July 31, 2025. A long column displayed all the military equipment available to the Croatian army today. Many soldiers participated, and much technology was shown, with newly acquired French Rafale fighter jets flying over spectators. For the first time, soldiers from other NATO countries participated in such a display, as Croatia has been a member of the alliance since 2009. Two Leopard tanks were borrowed from Germany for the parade: while the Croatian army doesn't have them yet, they have been ordered. Croatian President Zoran Milanovic wrote on Facebook about the parade, "We celebrate our victories; we hate nobody. We are completely aware — and I want those who come after us to be aware too — that it was a victory of Croatian soldiers, the Croatian people, and Croatia's leadership at the time." Serbia: A pogrom On the Serbian side, Operation Storm is considered not only the most significant military defeat in the Yugoslav war, but also synonymous with the expulsion of Serbs and the war crimes and devastation they suffered. In this sense, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic repeated the old narrative during this year's commemoration ceremony, under the motto "Oluja is a pogrom — We remember forever," that Serbs have been suffering under enormous injustice from the international community for 30 years. "We will never again allow anyone to threaten the freedom of Serbs," Vucic said, adding that foreign countries are strengthening all states around Serbia and only weakening his country. Vucic also said that Serbia threatens no one, but will show everyone on September 20 "what kind of people's army we have created" and that Serbia is strong enough to defend itself. There will be a large military parade in Belgrade on this day. And once again, French Rafale fighter jets will fly over spectators at this display, just as they did in Zagreb. This article was originally published in German.
DW
05-08-2025
- Politics
- DW
30 years since Croatia's war of independence – DW – 08/05/2025
Three decades ago, the Croatian military operation "Oluja" (Storm) ended the Croatian War of Independence after more than three years. To this day, Serbs and Croats remain divided over how they remember what happened. Once a year, on August 5, the small sleepy town of Knin in Northern Dalmatia becomes the heart of Croatia'spolitical life. The country's political and military elite gather under the flag on the castle ruins above the town, and there are patriotic speeches with pathos galore. It's the "Day of Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving" and the "Day of Croatian Defenders," commemorating the military operation "Oluja" (Storm) carried out from August 4 to 7, 1995. The raising of the oversized flag above Knin Fortress remains to this day a symbol of Croatian troops victory over Serbia during the Yugoslav wars of the 1990s. At that time, the Croatian army and police units recaptured the entire Krajina region on the border with Bosnia in a large-scale offensive within 85 hours — thus capturing the largest part of the third of Croatia's territory that had been occupied by Serbs since 1991. Operation Storm also brought about a military turning point in the neighboring war in Bosnia and Herzegovina: In a coordinated action by Croatian and Bosnian-Herzegovinian armies — with limited NATO air support — the long-standing Serbian siege of the western Bosnian city of Bihac was broken and all of Western Bosnia was recaptured. Shortly afterwards, Croatian-Bosnian forces also brought other parts of Bosnia under their control. Serbian-controlled territory shrank from 70% to 49% of the country, ultimately leading to the US-brokered Dayton Peace Agreement. The wars in former Yugoslavia, which began in 1991 with Slovenia and Croatia's declarations of independence from Yugoslavia and the subsequent Ten-Day War in Slovenia, were provisionally ended. They didn't officially end until four years later, when NATO fought against Serbia in the Kosovo War, which eventually led to the establishment of an independent state of Kosovo. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Operation Storm brought about a profound and lasting change for the country: during these 85 hours and immediately afterward, approximately 200,000 Serbs left the Krajina area heading towards Serbia. Many were forcibly expelled, but most fled in fear of revenge from advancing Croatian troops. In the preceding years, more than 170,000 Croats had been displaced from Serbian-dominated areas of Croatia, mainly at the beginning of the war. And hundreds of crimes were committed by Serbian troops against Croatian civilians. As it turned out, this fear was justified: According to the Croatian human rights NGO there was a lot of looting during Operation Storm. Many Serbian houses and even entire villages were destroyed and set on fire. More than 1,000 Serbian civilians who stayed behind were murdered. Even though most of these crimes are well-documented, hardly anyone was prosecuted or convicted for them. Post-war Croatian judicial authorities showed little interest in investigating crimes committed by Croatian soldiers. And neither did the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague find those responsible. While Ante Gotovina, one of the Croatian commanders, and another Croatian army general were sentenced to long prison terms in 2011 over war crimes, both were acquitted in the second instance and released from custody. Even though many refugees have returned to Croatia since the war, Serbs now have only marginal significance in Croatian society. Although three decades have passed since Oluja, the assessments of the Serbian and Croatian sides differ significantly. In Croatia, it is clearly viewed positively, seen as a legitimate, justified, and heroic military operation within the framework of a defensive war. For the 30th anniversary, a large military parade was held in the capital Zagreb on July 31, 2025. A long column displayed all the military equipment available to the Croatian army today. Many soldiers participated, and much technology was shown, with newly acquired French Rafale fighter jets flying over spectators. For the first time, soldiers from other NATO countries participated in such a display, as Croatia has been a member of the alliance since 2009. Two Leopard tanks were borrowed from Germany for the parade: while the Croatian army doesn't have them yet, they have been ordered. Croatian President Zoran Milanovic wrote on Facebook about the parade, "We celebrate our victories; we hate nobody. We are completely aware — and I want those who come after us to be aware too — that it was a victory of Croatian soldiers, the Croatian people, and Croatia's leadership at the time." On the Serbian side, Operation Storm is considered not only the most significant military defeat in the Yugoslav war, but also synonymous with the expulsion of Serbs and the war crimes and devastation they suffered. In this sense, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic repeated the old narrative during this year's commemoration ceremony, under the motto "Oluja is a pogrom — We remember forever," that Serbs have been suffering under enormous injustice from the international community for 30 years. "We will never again allow anyone to threaten the freedom of Serbs," Vucic said, adding that foreign countries are strengthening all states around Serbia and only weakening his country. Vucic also said that Serbia threatens no one, but will show everyone on September 20 "what kind of people's army we have created" and that Serbia is strong enough to defend itself. There will be a large military parade in Belgrade on this day. And once again, French Rafale fighter jets will fly over spectators at this display, just as they did in Zagreb.
CBS News
04-08-2025
- General
- CBS News
Chicago's Serbian community marks Day of Remembrance for those killed, expelled in Operation storm
Chicago's Serbian community gathered for a solemn ceremony was held on Chicago's Far Northwest Side Sunday. A service was held at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, at 5701 N. Redwood Dr. in the Norwood Park community, to mark the Day of Remembrance for Serbs killed in Operation Storm 30 years ago. In 1995, hundreds of thousands of Serbs were forced from the Krajina region in Croatia, and nearly 2,000 were killed. The service included prayers and presentations from Serbian dignitaries and historians.
Associated Press
31-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Croatia holds military parade as it marks 30 years since a key war victory
ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Thousands watched a military parade in Croatia's capital on Thursday marking 30 years since a key war victory as the country looks to further boost its forces with a possible loan from a new European Union defense fund. A flyover in Zagreb by French-made Rafale jets was a highlight of the show that included 3,400 army personnel along with police units, emergency service teams and war veterans. Navy battle ships sailed simultaneously by the Adriatic Sea port of Split. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said that 'we have passed a big process of transition from eastern to western technology in order to be compatible with the capabilities of those armies who are our partners and allies.' Croatia joined the EU in 2013, four years after becoming a member of NATO. Back in August 1995, Croatia recaptured lands that had been held by minority Serbs since their rebellion in 1991 against the country's independence from the former Communist-run Yugoslavia. The Operation Storm offensive presented a turning point in the war and also triggered a mass exodus of ethnic Serbs from Croatia. Tensions persist in relations with Balkan rival Serbia, which backed the ethnic Serb rebellion in the 1990s'. Serbia plans to hold a commemoration ceremony for the Serb victims of the offensive, and Belgrade has cautioned Serbian citizens against traveling to Croatia in early August. A military parade in Belgrade is planned for September. Political analyst Zarko Puhovski said he believed the military parade was designed both to garner popular support for further defense spending amid security concerns in Europe fueled by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and as a message of strength in the region. 'It's just putting on a show, to put military equipment on display,' Puhovski told The Associated Press. 'This will be presented as Croatia's effort to join the overall trend of increased militarization in Europe.' Croatia is among eighteen EU countries that have applied for billions of euros from the bloc's program of cheap loans aimed at helping Europe provide for its own security. Plenkovic has said that Croatia could seek 1.8 billion euros ($2 billion) from the fund. The 150-billion-euro ($173 billion) Security Action for Europe (SAFE) program was launched after the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump signalled that Europe is no longer a U.S. security priority. Some U.S. allies in Europe worry that President Vladimir Putin could target one of them if Russia wins its war on Ukraine.
