Zagreb - Sabor Speaker Gordan Jandroković and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Tuesday took part in the Commemorative March in Vukovar to pay tribute to all fallen defenders and civilians who lost their lives during the 1991-1995 Homeland War.
"Once again, we have come to pay tribute and show our respect to the Croatian defenders and all civilians who lost their lives here during the Homeland War, and to honour the heroic defence of Vukovar, which is a symbol of resistance and the defence of Croatia in the just Homeland War against the Greater Serbian aggression led by (Serbian president Slobodan) Milošević, a war in which Croatia was victorious,”"stated Plenković from the courtyard of the National Memorial Hospital “Dr. Juraj Njavro” on the occasion of the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Homeland War and the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Vukovar and Škabrnja.
We are especially moved that, a few weeks ago the remains of (French volunteer) Jean Michel Nicolier and three other Croatian defenders were found, Plenković added.
He emphasised that Vukovar is a city in which the state has invested heavily in its revitalisation, making it a city that functions well.
"The government will continue to invest and create the conditions for a better quality of life for all residents of Vukovar, as well as for the normal coexistence of all inhabitants of this city, Vukovar-Srijem County, and eastern Croatia," Plenković said.
Jandroković: Emotions are strong
"The emotions are strong, and Vukovar remains the foundation of the modern Croatian state, a place of suffering and tragedy, but also of pride for the Croatian people, because it was here that the Greater Serbian aggression was stopped. Croatia paid for its freedom with blood, the Croatian people made enormous sacrifices, and I believe that even today all generations feel a special connection to Vukovar, its victims, and a sense of gratitude to the Croatian defenders and everyone who took part in the defence of Vukovar," said the parliament speaker Jandroković.
He expressed respect for all mothers, wives, and family members of fallen Croatian defenders and voiced the hope that such events will never happen again.
“Vukovar does not tolerate any relativisation. A massacre of Croats took place here, as it did in Škabrnja. The Croatian people paid for their freedom with blood. These days remind us in the harshest way of what happened, and we expect everyone to show respect for Vukovar without any attempt to downplay the (war atrocities in) Vukovar, because these are days of Croatian suffering,” Jandroković stated.