VUKOVAR VUKOVAR, Aug 5 (Hina) - On the occasion of Croatia's National Gratitude Day, the Minister in charge of Homeland War veterans, Ivica Pancic, on Saturday lit an eternal flame and unveiled a monument to all victims of the
Homeland War, in the eastern town of Vukovar. The monument is erected in the Memorial Square between a mass grave, where 938 victims of the Serb aggression were exhumed two years ago, and the killed soldiers' cemetery. This biggest bronze monument in Croatia has been made by Professor Djurdjica Ostoja and her assistant Gabrijela Kis-Jerconovic. Saturday's ceremony marked the completion of the two-year-long works on the cemetery of those who lost their lives defending Vukovar. The Veterans Ministry has invested 20 million kuna (approximately five million German marks) for this purpose. To date, 291 soldiers and 249 civilians have been buried there. During today's ceremony, many Vu
VUKOVAR, Aug 5 (Hina) - On the occasion of Croatia's National
Gratitude Day, the Minister in charge of Homeland War veterans,
Ivica Pancic, on Saturday lit an eternal flame and unveiled a
monument to all victims of the Homeland War, in the eastern town of
Vukovar.
The monument is erected in the Memorial Square between a mass grave,
where 938 victims of the Serb aggression were exhumed two years ago,
and the killed soldiers' cemetery.
This biggest bronze monument in Croatia has been made by Professor
Djurdjica Ostoja and her assistant Gabrijela Kis-Jerconovic.
Saturday's ceremony marked the completion of the two-year-long
works on the cemetery of those who lost their lives defending
Vukovar. The Veterans Ministry has invested 20 million kuna
(approximately five million German marks) for this purpose.
To date, 291 soldiers and 249 civilians have been buried there.
During today's ceremony, many Vukovarans paid tribute to their
loved ones.
Present at the event were a Deputy Sabor Speaker, Zdravko Tomac, and
Lieutenant General Josip Lucic as an envoy of Croatian President
Stjepan Mesic.
The national parliament's deputy speaker Tomac said these were not
times for political speeches but for showing reverence for victims
of the Serbian aggression.
Emphasising that the unarmed Croatian people defended their
motherland against a big military force and aggression, Tomac
asserted that "in that war Croatians did not commit crimes."
"They did not respond in kind," Tomac said adding that Vukovar is
the right place "for us to tell ladies and gentlemen from the Hague
Tribunal that there is enough of what they are doing to us."
"We always reiterate that we condemn those who smeared our Homeland
War, who committed individual crimes. We also must say that
indictments cannot be issued endlessly. Our generals, our soldiers
and our famous Croatian Army cannot be brought into question,"
Tomac added.
On behalf of the Croatian Government, Minister Pancic said Croatia
had opted for fighting for freedom as it seemed almost impossible.
Pancic assessed that all expectations of those who defended Croatia
were not met. They are living in freedom but they have not a good
life, he explained.
"A great gap has been created between privileges which some enjoy
and the common good," he said adding that it was appropriate in
Vukovar to assume commitments of making changing in carrying out
the term of office of those in power and of making a step forward for
the common good.
Mesic's envoy Lt.Gen. Lucic said that despite hardship it
experienced in the war, the Croatian people did not nourish hatred.
This people has expressed its wish to enter the Partnership for
Peace and NATO for its own interests, he added.
In front of the monument, wreaths were placed by delegations of
Croatian President, Sabor, Government and victims' families.
A Mass for the dead was served in the Church of St. Jacob and
Philip.
(hina) ms