Croatian President Zoran Milanović has officially revoked all state decorations previously awarded to Branimir Glavaš, following his finalized seven-year prison sentence for war crimes committed against Serb civilians in 1991.
The decision, first reported by the Croatian daily Novi List, marks the latest development in a decades-long legal and political saga surrounding the high-profile wartime figure.
1. The Revoked State Orders
Under Croatian federal statutes, individuals handed enforceable prison sentences exceeding three years by a court of law lose their right to hold state honors. Milanović’s executive order systematically strips Glavaš of several prestigious war-era accolades originally granted to him by Croatia’s first president, Franjo Tuđman:
- Order of Prince Trpimir (with Necklace and Morning Star)
- Order of Prince Domagoj (with Necklace)
- Order of Ban Jelačić
- Order of Ante Starčević
- Order of the Croatian Trefoil
- Homeland War Memorial Medal
- Homeland Gratitude Memorial Medal
2. The Legal Yo-Yo: Timeline of Glavaš’s Honors
This is not the first time Glavaš has been forced to surrender these honors. The status of his military and state decorations has historically mirrored the complex, reversing decisions of the Croatian judiciary.
The 16-Year Legal Timeline of Branimir Glavaš's State Honors
[ 2010: FIRST REVOCATION ] ──► IVO JOSIPOVIĆ
• President Ivo Josipović strips Glavaš of his honors following his first
final conviction for war crimes committed in Osijek (the "Garage" and "Duct Tape" cases).
[ 2015: JUDICIAL RESET ] ──► CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
• The Constitutional Court of Croatia annuls the conviction on procedural grounds,
ordering a complete retrial and returning Glavaš to a legally unconvicted status.
[ 2021: THE RESTORATION ] ──► ZORAN MILANOVIĆ
• Citing the presumption of innocence and the annulled verdict, President Milanović
signs an executive order restoring all medals to Glavaš pending the retrial.
[ 2026: FINAL REVOCATION ] ──► ZORAN MILANOVIĆ
• Following a finalized, legally binding 7-year prison sentence passed by the
High Criminal Court, Milanović revokes the honors for the final time.
3. Political Context and Legal Grounding
| Key Institutional Actor | Role in the Honors Status | Underlying Legal Motivation |
| Franjo Tuđman (President, 1990s) | Granting Authority. | Awarded for Glavaš’s role in organizing the defense of the city of Osijek during the initial stages of the Homeland War. |
| Constitutional Court | Procedural Arbiter. | Overturned initial sentences, creating a legal loophole that forced the state to temporarily return the honors in 2021. |
| Zoran Milanović (Current President) | Enforcing Authority. | Bound by law to remove honors once a war crimes verdict becomes final and binding (pravomoćna), leaving no further domestic avenues for ordinary appeal. |
The move highlights Milanović’s adherence to standard legal protocol regarding final judicial sentences, despite his controversial 2021 decision to reinstate the medals which drew heavy criticism from human rights organizations at the time. With the High Criminal Court definitively upholding the guilt of Glavaš for the execution of civilians in Osijek, the presidency has definitively closed the door on his state-sanctioned military legacy.
