ZAGREB, Oct 8 (Hina) - On the occasion of Independence Day (October 8), Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, Sabor President Zlatko Tomcic, Premier Ivica Racan and delegations of ministries of defence, interior affairs and war veterans'
affairs on Wednesday laid wreaths and lit candles in front of the Main Cross in the section of graves of dead soldiers in Zagreb's central cemetery of Mirogoj.
ZAGREB, Oct 8 (Hina) - On the occasion of Independence Day (October
8), Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, Sabor President Zlatko
Tomcic, Premier Ivica Racan and delegations of ministries of
defence, interior affairs and war veterans' affairs on Wednesday
laid wreaths and lit candles in front of the Main Cross in the
section of graves of dead soldiers in Zagreb's central cemetery of
Mirogoj. #L#
Wreaths were also placed by veterans' associations and families of
dead soldiers as well as representatives of Zagreb City
authorities.
Wreaths were laid on the common grave of unidentified victims from
the Homeland Defence War.
Wreath-laying ceremonies were held throughout Croatia in
commemoration of the 12th anniversary of the national parliament's
decision to sever all constitutional relations with the former
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY).
The day before, on 7 October 1991, a three-month moratorium on
Croatia's decision of 25 June 1991 to declare independence and
sovereignty expired.
In line with the Brijuni Declaration of July 7, the implementation
of the parliament's decision to declare independence and
sovereignty was postponed for three months following a request by
the European Community that the Yugoslav crisis be solved
peacefully. After the moratorium expired, the Croatian parliament
on October 8 adopted a decision at a joint session of its three
councils to sever constitutional relations with the former SFRY.
By adopting the decision, the parliament established that Croatia
no longer considered bodies of the SFRY legitimate and legal, or any
legal act of any body acting on behalf of the former federation
valid. It was also established that Yugoslavia no longer existed as
a federation.
During the three-month moratorium, the JNA and Serb terrorists
stepped up attacks on Croatian towns and villages, destroying
hospitals, schools, churches, monuments and other civilian
buildings.
Independence Day was introduced in the calendar of national
holidays in 2001 with the adoption of changes to the law on holidays
and memorial days, and was marked for the first time in 2002.
(hina) ms