Croatia reviews 1991 military history and current defense modernization

Experts and historians recently gathered in Đakovo for a professional forum titled ‘The Homeland War and the Seizure of Military Facilities in Slavonia 1991 – Local Experiences and Broader Context’. Organized by the Museum of Đakovo, the event featured presentations from various regional museums, including those from Brod, Osijek, Vinkovci, Županja, and Nova Gradiška. The discussions focused on the local circumstances, blockades, and the seizure of Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) facilities during the 1991 conflict.

In a separate analysis regarding national defense, military commentator Ivica Mandić addressed the evolution of the Croatian Armed Forces. He noted that while the military was born during the 1991 war, it has faced decades of chronic underfunding despite NATO membership. According to Defense Minister Ivan Anušić, Croatia is currently undergoing its largest military modernization in thirty years. The discussion highlights the distinction between the current capabilities of the armed forces in 2026 and the strategic goal of establishing an Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) architecture over the Adriatic by 2035.