As a member of the delegation from the Government of the Republic of Croatia, led by Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovi\u0107, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Ivan Anu\u0161i\u0107 took part in the commemoration of the 32nd anniversary of Vukovar\u2019s 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 \u0160kabrnja.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
On the eve of the Column of Remembrance, the President of the Croatian Parliament, Gordan Jandrokovi\u0107 called from Vukovar for a dignified celebration of Remembrance Day and commemoration of the victims of Vukovar, \u0160kabrnja, and all Croatian veterans in the Homeland War.<\/p>\n
“Today is the day Croatia unites; we remember those lost in the Homeland War and, most importantly, in Vukovar and \u0160kabrnja. 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 Jandrokovi\u0107. 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.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the Vukovar conference, Republic of Croatia Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovi\u0107 stated that the bravery of Croatian veterans obligates us to preserve the honour of the Homeland War.
\n“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,” Plenkovi\u0107 said.<\/p>\n
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.”<\/p>\n
“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 Plenkovi\u0107.<\/p>\n