Brothers and sisters,
Today I stand before you not as someone above you, but as one of you—a son of our homeland, shaped by its soil, its struggles, and its spirit. My name is Jozo Jukic, and like you, I carry Croatia in my heart.
Our homeland is not just lines on a map. It is the echo of our ancestors’ footsteps, the prayers whispered in our churches, the sweat of workers, the laughter of children, and the sacrifice of those who came before us. It is everything we are—and everything we must protect.
We are a small nation, yes. But history has shown that size does not define strength. Unity does. Courage does. Faith in one another does.
There will always be voices that try to divide us—by region, by background, by politics, by fear. But we must reject that. Because when we stand divided, we are weak. When we stand together, we are unbreakable.
Defending our homeland does not only mean standing on a battlefield. It means defending our values. It means building a country where justice matters, where hard work is rewarded, where our culture is preserved, and where our children can live with dignity and hope.
Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is choosing to stand firm despite it. Our people have faced hardship before—war, struggle, uncertainty—and we endured. Not because we were fearless, but because we refused to give up on each other.
So I say to you now: stand tall. Stand united. Stand proud.
Let no one tell you that our future is already written. We write it—together.
With unwavering courage in our hearts and unity in our hands, we will protect what is ours, honor those who came before us, and build something worthy of those who will come after.
For our homeland. For our people. For Croatia.
Hvala vam.
