On this day 18 years ago Croatia reinstated it's statehood after 894 years of foreign rule, occupation, liberation movements and wars. Today one could say Croatia has reached its modern stately adulthood. We have entered NATO and are on the verge of joining the EU (unless it falls apart before we enter
) and are currently a member of the UN security council. We have achieved so much, yet we strive to build on these successes.We went from this in 928.
To this in 1606.
And finally to this in 2009.
Throughout our long history we were forced to fight for foreign interests and masters and bones of our fathers litter the battlefields from Andalusian plain and swamps of Netherlands to the steppes of Stalingrad for no gain of our own. Now finally we can fight for our own gain.
For centuries my family like many others stood at the bulwark of our people fighting in endless wars, until my great grandfather every male member of my family since 1322 died on the field of battle or from the wounds suffered and it is to them and all the others who fought and died, so that we can remain what we are, the Croats, we comemorate this day.
This day should have also been our independence day was it not for the foreign politicians of the major European powers which basically forced us to wait for several months before declaring our independence (they threatened they would not recognise us if we did so), in their hope of perserving Yugoslavia. We as a people can never forgive them that, in the period to the declaration of the independence some of the worst crimes of the war were comitted and many men that should not have died, did. With that act they allowed the Yugoslav National Army to prosecute its campaign as it was an internal mater of state rather than an invading force which in reality it was.
And yet we have prevailed but there is much to be done, so many of our people, our lands, my lands, are still beyond the arbitary borders drawn by world powers.
Even now when we are free, some still try to ensnare us to hush our voices and put us in a place they have decided we should occupy. Both with external presures and internal divisions. But enough of gloomy thoughts.
Today is a day of celebration, pride and honour.
I the Falcon of Boka
salute you citizens of the world on this great day and pray we never take up arms against each other as we have done so many times in our history
P.S. Drinks are on me whenever first we should meet
