The Croatian Minister of Defense, Ivan Anusic, during a ceremony unveiling the “Dawn of Freedom” monument at the “Stanislav Baja Kraljevic” barracks near Mostar, disclosed that he had participated in the battles in Mostar in 1993.
The monument was unveiled during the commemoration of the 32nd anniversary of the “June’s Dawn” operation, attended by representatives of the HDZ Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) party and officials from Croatia.
Anusic addressed those present, confirming his participation in the fighting in Mostar in 1993.
“I am glad to be here today. After many years, I have come back here. The last time I was here was in 1993, fighting in Mostar as a member of the Croatian Defense Council (HVO), defending Croatian interests, the Croatian state, and the Croatian people. Once again, if necessary, I will do everything politically to defend our values, your values, and the survival of the Croatian people in this area,” said the Croatian Defense Minister yesterday.
Anusic, originally from Osijek, was a volunteer in the Croatian War of Independence, serving in several Croatian brigades and the Croatian Ministry of the Interior’s special police.
In his official biography listed on the website of the Government of Croatia, it is not stated that he was a member of the HVO.
It states that he was a member of the 106th and 130th brigades of the National Guard Corps, the Special Police Ministry of Internal Affairs Orao, the Military Police, and the 3rd Guard Brigade of the Croatian Army, and that he retired from the 3rd Guard Brigade in 2001.
Although he did not provide details, in 1993 the HVO in Mostar primarily fought against the BiH Army, systematically destroying the city’s eastern shore, culminating in the demolition of the Old Bridge.
The “Stanislav Baja Kraljevic” barracks, where the monument was unveiled, was the site of the notorious Heliodrom camp, where hundreds of Bosniaks were tortured and mistreated, with 77 of them killed, Klix.ba writes.
Photo: RTVBH
E.Dz.