Wishing you all a joyous Christmas and progress in the New 2019 Year. I am blessed with all of your support and grateful for the opportunity to share life with you.

When it comes to Croatia and her path to democracy and well-being I remember the 1995 Christmas wish from Franjo Tudjman, Croatia’s first President. This was the time when Croatia, after winning the terrible war of Serb aggression, was to accelerate efforts into building a real and functional democracy; it was to lustrate the country’s institutions and leadership of communist heritage that suffocate democracy and true freedom. But regretfully this did not happen, not anywhere near the needed levels that cement sovereignty.

For this Christmas I choose to publish Franjo Tudjman’s 1995 Christmas and New 1996 Year’s message because it contains all the elements for thanksgiving that are as relevant today as they were in 1995.

Croats in the homeland and in the world,

citizens of Croatia!

The Christmas and New Year holidays have among Croatian people always been filled with the spirit of peace, joy, unity, reconciliation and warmth of the family home and homeland fires.

This year, these festive days also have a special significance: the liberation of the occupied Croatian territories, and the recent signing of the Dayton Peace Accords in Paris, are the source of strong hopes for the end of suffering, a secure, complete and ever-independent homeland, and faith in an ever better Croatian tomorrow.

With this hope and solid faith:

to all the participants of the Homeland War, especially those who lost their closest, to all the disabled, the wounded and the victims;

to all Croatian defenders and policemen who fulfil their patriotic duty honourably and self-conscientiously;

to all the displaced persons who are eager to return to their homes in the new year;

to all the benefactors who provided assistance or received the forcefully deported and refugees under their roof, and who were persecuted and wounded;

to all Croatian youth and all Croatian families;

to all Croat citizens in the homeland who, in their work in the field, in the factory and in a company, in education, in culture and science, in state administration and in social-health services, pursue the building of free and democratic Croatia;

all Croats in the world whom the homeland eagerly awaits;

all members of the United Nations and NATO forces, who contribute to peace in Croatia and in this part of Europe;

to all those who celebrate, to all Croatian citizens, and to all people of good will all over the world,

Have a happy Christmas and Happy New Year 1996!

Franjo Tuđman,

Presdent of the Republic of Croatia

23^rdDecember 1995