Croatia marks Remembrance Day for victims of Vukovar

As a member of the delegation from the Government of the Republic of Croatia, led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ivan Anušić took part in the commemoration of the 32nd anniversary of Vukovar’s martyrdom on Saturday, 18 November, 2023, in Vukovar. This occurred in observation of the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Homeland War as well as the Day of Remembrance for the victims of Vukovar and Škabrnja.

A commemorative ceremony began in front of the National Memorial Hospital “Dr. Juraj Njavro,” where the commemoration got underway. After that, the Column of Remembrance was formed, which set out on the Way of the Cross through the streets of Vukovar, led by Vukovar defenders, family members of the fallen, missing, murdered, forcibly abducted, and deceased Croatian defenders of Vukovar, as well as historical units and members of the Croatian Armed Forces.

On the eve of the Column of Remembrance, the President of the Croatian Parliament, Gordan Jandroković called from Vukovar for a dignified celebration of Remembrance Day and commemoration of the victims of Vukovar, Škabrnja, and all Croatian veterans in the Homeland War.

“Today is the day Croatia unites; we remember those lost in the Homeland War and, most importantly, in Vukovar and Škabrnja. Vukovar represents both the suffering and freedom of Croatia. It was the city that broke the Great Serbian aggression and contributed greatly towards victory in the Homeland War,” stated Jandroković. He went on to say that we should honour the sacrifice made by the city of Vukovar and its residents because of all the victims who lost their lives in the Homeland War.

Speaking at the Vukovar conference, Republic of Croatia Prime Minister Andrej Plenković stated that the bravery of Croatian veterans obligates us to preserve the honour of the Homeland War.
“We came to the Hero City, which is a beacon of Croatian freedom and a symbol of the Homeland War, to pay our respects together and with great honour to the Croatian veterans, those who have contributed most to Croatian freedom and democracy in the past 30 years,” Plenković said.

He continued by saying that Vukovar had suffered greatly during the Homeland War and has been developing with the assistance of all previous governments ever since its peaceful reintegration into our territorial and constitutional order in 1998: “Our government has made maximum efforts, especially in the last few years, when it comes to investments in communal infrastructure, education, health care, and schools.”

“Our task is to take maximum care of Vukovar, and especially of the Croatian veterans, and to show respect to the victims of the Greater Serbian aggression, which had its worst edition in 1991,” said Plenković.

Vukovar represents Croatian solidarity, sacrifice, and the future, as noted by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ivan Anušić on this particular occasion.

“The emphasis today is on the future; we have learned lessons from the past, and we need to build guidelines on how and in what way to make Croatia stronger and stronger,” said Anušić.

He highlighted that the town of Vukovar saved eastern Croatia and, by extension, all of Croatia, and that its sacrifice in 1991 was the greatest that the Croatian people could make.

“The Vukovar defenders were the greatest we had, and as a veteran, I appreciate them,” he added. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Anušić addressed the relatives of the Vukovar victims, saying, “Together, without divisions, we should pay our respects and express our gratitude to their families today. By honouring them, we can build the future of a better Croatia that lies ahead of us.”

At the Memorial Cemetery of the Victims of Homeland War, participants in the 25th Column of Remembrance placed roses on the graves of the fallen veterans and civilians.

To commemorate the victims of the Homeland War, wreaths and candles were placed in front of the Memorial Cemetery of the Homeland War victims by representatives of the Croatian veterans, led by Branko Borković, the last commander of the city’s defence; the delegation of the President of the Republic of Croatia, led by Zoran Milanović; the delegation of the Croatian Parliament, led by President Gordan Jandroković; the delegation of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, led by President Andrej Plenković; and the delegations of the Vukovar-Srijem County and the City of Vukovar.

The prayer was led by the Đakovo-Osijek Archdiocese Metropolitan Archbishop, Msgr. Đuro Hranić, while the Holy Mass was led by the Apostolic Nuncio in the Republic of Croatia, Archbishop Giorgio Lingua.

Following the remembrance, representatives from the Croatian Parliament and the Government of the Republic of Croatia placed wreaths and lit candles at the memorial located at the mass grave of the Ovčara massacre.