The Vukovar 1991 Remembrance Day

“We have come here to pay respects to the sacrifice of Croatian defenders and all the fallen for the freedom of Croatia and to the sacrifice of Vukovar – the symbol of the Homeland War”, said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, pledging strong support of the Government and other instuitutions of Croatia to Vukovar.

Defence Ministar Krstičević emohasised that Vukovar was of critical importance for Croatia and today stood as a symbol of heroism and resistance in the Homeland War. 

“Vukovar is a heroic town, and we are expressing our utmost respect for the victims of Vukovar and Škabrnje. Our thoughts are with the families of the fallen, the missing and the deceased Croatian defenders who sacrified their lives for the peace and freedom of Croatia. The Croatian Armed Forces have returned and the graduation of the military schools have returned to Vukovar; a symbolic blood donation campaign titled “Croatian Armed Forces for Vukovar and Škabrnja“ has been conducted.

U Vukovaru su bili i Minister of the Homeland War Veterans Tomo Medved and the Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović,also attended the Remembrance Day, along with other ministers, representatives of the Ministry of Defence and of the Croatian Armed Forces, of the Croatian counties and towns and of the associations of Croatian defenders. 

In the Hospital’s courtyard the visitors were joined by numerous citizens arriving from throughout Croatia and abroad and attended the ceremonial programme featuring a performance by the Croatian Navy’s Vocal Ensemble “Sveti Juraj” and moderated by actor Darko Milas.
The traditional Way of the Cross – the Memorial March was headed by the bearers of the flags of the Republic of Croatia, of the Vukovar- Srijem County and of the Town of Vukovar  and the flag of the 204th Vukovar Brigade was carried by Lt. Col. Antun Dugan (Ret.).

The Memorial March was led by the defenders of Vukovar and family members of the fallen, missing, forcefully abducted nad deceased Croatian defenders, followed by the members of the Guards Armoured Mechanised Brigade carrying 186 flags of the units from the Homeland War.and 100 members of the Croatian Army wearing the berets of the guards brigades. They were joined by the Prefect of the Vukovar- Srijem County Božo Galić and the Mayor of Vukovar  Ivan Penava and the Director of the County Hospital Vukovar Vesna Bosanac and other senior officials of the Republic of Croatia, delegations of counties and towns, the Military Diplomatic Corps, senior representatives of the  Catholic Church and of religious communities in Croatia and tens of thousands of citizens who arrived to pay respects to the victims of the Serbian aggression.

The Remembrance March was also attended by some 100 cadets and the students of the Basic Officer Training, among whom Jelena Dedaković – a daughter of the commander of defence of Vukovar, Mile Dedaković – Jastreb.

The students of the elementary schools in Vukovar lighted candles along the Way of the Cross from the Hospital to the Memorial Cemetery of 
the Victims of the Homeland War. Where the participants (among them members of the Ministry of Defence and of the Croatian Armed Forces) laid flowers on the graves of the fallen and deceased defenders in respect.  

At the central momument the Croatian government and representatives of the Ministry of Defence and of the Croatian Armed Forces,  of the Ministry  of the Interior and of the Homeland War Veterans and of the Town of Vukovar and of the Croatian defenders of Vukovar  laid wreaths and lighted candles paying  respects to the victims; a mass for the victims of the Homeland War was recited by the Bishop of Železno (Eisenstadt, Austria) Mons Egidije Ivan Živković u koncelebraciji s brojnim biskupima i svećenicima.

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