MEMORIAL DAY TAKES PLACE IN VUKOVAR

VUKOVAR, Nov 18 (Hina) - A memorial day for the victims of Vukovar in 1991 is taking placer in this eastern Croatian town on Monday. #L# The decision to pronounce November 18 as memorial day for Vukovar victims was made by the Croatian parliament as a sign of piety and remembrance of all military and civilian victims killed in defending the town from Greater Serbian aggression in 1991. On November 18, 1991, Serb paramilitary troops and the Yugoslav People's Army occupied Vukovar after a three-month siege in which several thousands of Croatian soldiers and civilians were killed. After the town was occupied, 22,000 Vukovar Croats and other non- Serbs were displaced, while about 10,000 soldiers and civilians were taken to Serb concentration camps. Several thousands of Vukovar citizens gathered in the yard of Vukovar Hospital, including Defence Minister Zeljka Antunovic, Homeland War Veterans' Minister Ivica Pancic, and numerous delegations of parties and victims' organisations. (hina) lml