After Release
After their release, the Croatian government dispatched a government plane along with Minister of Defence Ante Kotromanović and Minister of Veterans Predrag Matić to return Gotovina and Markač to Croatia. In Zagreb they were greeted by the Prime Minister Zoran Milanović and the Speaker of Parliament Josip Leko. Around 100,000 jubilant people heard them speak at the Ban Jelačić Square, after which the Cardinal Josip Bozanić held a mass for them at the Zagreb Cathedral. The two generals were then received by the President at the Presidential Palace where Gotovina said that the "Homeland War is now clean, it belongs to our history, it is a basis on which we build our future."
The Minister of Veterans Predrag Matić stated that Gotovina and Markač are amongst the candidates for a new highest Croatian decoration.
On 19 November 2012, the Belgrade-based tabloid Kurir ran an interview on Monday with Ante Gotovina, who stated that Serbs displaced after Operation Storm "should return to Croatia".
On 23 November Gotovia become a honorary citizen of Split and the next day he become honorary citizen of Zadar.
On 26 November, the Serbian government asked the ICTY to transfer the evidence against both generals to them for their own investigation.
Read more about this topic: Ante Gotovina
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—Stefan Zweig (18811942)
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