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Zagreb - The 20th anniversary of the death of Defence Minister Gojko Šušak was observed with wreath-laying ceremonies at Zagreb's Mirogoj Cemetery on Thursday, with Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković praising Šušak for making a huge contribution to Croatia's victory in the 1991-1995 war of independence.
Jandroković recalled that Šušak contributed much to the establishment of the Croatian armed forces and that he was a close aide of the first Croatian President Franjo Tuđman.
"I particularly remember the excellent contacts Šušak had with the United States and I also remember him as a self-effacing and modest man with a vision. He was frequently exposed to defamation campaigns. Evidently, political rivals and those who could not accept the existence of Croatia had concluded that he was an important man and therefore they often meanly attacked him," Jandroković said.
The current Defence Minister, Damir Krstičević, pointed out Šušak's contribution to the development of the Croatian army.