Zlatan Bašić and Danica Bartulović win Oda Domovini literary contest

The Split branch of Matica hrvatska has announced the winners of the ‘Oda Domovini’ literary competition, which commemorates the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the Croatian Army, police, and the independent state of Croatia.

In the best novel category, Zlatan Bašić won for his work ‘Trpinjska cesta – groblje tenkova. Priča jednog žutog mrava’. Bašić, a former member of the elite ‘Yellow Ants’ unit and a defender of Vukovar, describes the book as an autobiography detailing life, war, and survival. He currently serves as a state secretary.

Danica Bartulović won the best poetry collection category for ‘Tisućljetna hrvatska bol i nada’. Her work combines regional and religious narratives with patriotic themes, providing testimony regarding the Homeland War. An official awards ceremony is scheduled for November 3, 2026.