The Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Vukovar was marked with pride and dignity

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ivan Anušić, as part of the delegation of the Government of the Republic of Croatia led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković participated on Monday, 18 November 2024 in Vukovar at commemoration of the 33rd anniversary of the suffering of Vukovar, on the occasion of commemoration of the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Homeland War and the Day of Remembrance of the victims of Vukovar and Škabrnja.

On that occasion, Minister Anušić said that today the whole of Croatia united in Vukovar to pay their respects to the greatest battle and the greatest period of the Homeland War, which took place in Vukovar.

We must all be aware of the sacrifice of Vukovar, because if Vukovar had not endured as long as it did, Croatia would not have been able to defend itself, much more of Croatia’s territory would have been occupied and it would have been much more difficult to liberate Croatia in 1995. “Vukovar, which was our biggest wound, biggest trauma and biggest sadness, is slowly growing into a place of the greatest inspiration and pride,” the Minister pointed out.

The commemoration began in front of the “Dr. Juraj Njavro” National Memorial Hospital, where, for that occasion, the programme “Vukovar is a place of special patriotic reverence” was held. Aftewards, the Column of Remembrance was formed, which set out on the Way of the Cross through the streets of Vukovar.

The Column of Remembrance was led by the war veterans of Vukovar together with family members of the detained, missing, killed and deceased defenders led by members of the Croatian police who defended Vukovar, and in front of them more than 2,600 young people dressed in white T-shirts with written names of the victims of aggression on Vukovar walked through the streets of Vukovar.

Before the start of the special programme, the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Gordan Jandroković said that on this day we should remember the victims and express our gratitude to all Croatian war veterans, the political leadership at the time headed by President Tuđman, and keep Vukovar in our hearts.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenković said that it is up to us, on the foundations of the modern Croatian state, which is the Homeland War, to make maximum efforts to adequately repay the war veterans and their families in everything we do and to make the symbols of the Homeland War the foundation of the modern Croatian state.

The representatives of the Croatian war defenders of Vukovar, the delegation of the President of the Republic of Croatia led by the Head of the Office of the President of the Republic Orsat Miljenić, the delegation of the Croatian Parliament led by the Speaker Gordan Jandroković, the delegation of the Government of the Republic of Croatia led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković paid tribute to the victims of Vukovar by laying wreaths and lighting candles in front of the Memorial to the Victims of the Homeland War, delegation of the Vukovar-Srijem County and the City of Vukovar.

The prayer for the victims of the Homeland War was led by Msgr. Đuro Hranić, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Đakovo-Osijek, and the mass celebration for all victims of the Homeland War was celebrated by Msgr. Dražen Kutleša, Archbishop and Metropolitan of Zagreb.

During the sermon, he said that the remembrance of Vukovar can get us back to true values – religion, family and homeland, which form the core of personal and national identity. “The sacrifice of our fallen veterans bears a deep resemblance to the sacrifice of Christ, and the veterans still today call us to be faithful to truth, justice and freedom with the lesson that their sacrifice remains a permanent support in dealing with the challenges of the integrity of life,” emphasized Archbishop Kutleša.

At the end of the commemoration, the delegations of the Croatian Parliament and the Government of the Republic of Croatia laid wreaths and lit candles at the Ovčara mass grave memorial.