CROATIAN OFFICIALS LAY WREATHS AT MEMORIALS

ZAGREB, May 9 (Hina) - Delegations of the Croatian President, Government, Committee for the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Victory of the Anti-Fascist Coalition, and a military delegation of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Croatia and the Croatian Army Headquarters today laid wreaths at the Altar of the Croatian Homeland at Medvedgrad above Zagreb to mark the 50th anniversary of the victory over Fascism and Nazism. Prime Minister Nikica Valentic wrote in the visitors book that the Croatian people had given great contribution to the struggle against Fascism and had suffered great losses to create its state. The Committee delegation laid wreaths in Zagreb's Mirogoj Cemetery at the graves of Vladimir Nazor, the first president of the Croatian parliament, Andrija Hebrang, a Croatian patriot, and Ivan Rukavina, the first commander of the National Liberation Army of Croatia. The Parliament delegation, led by Croatian Army Chief of Staff General Janko Bobetko, laid wreaths at a memorial to the first partisan unit in Brezovica Forest near Sisak, 50 km southeast of Zagreb. Bobetko recalled that he had been a member of this unit, which was formed on June 22, 1941 and was the first anti-fascist military formation in German-occupied Europe. The Committee delegation, led by Parliament speaker Nedjeljko Mihanovic, laid wreaths at the "Wall of Pain" in front of the UNCRO headquarters in Zagreb. The Wall of Pain commemorates all those who have fallen and gone missing during Serbian aggression against Croatia. It was erected in 1993 by families of the fallen, detained and missing Croatian defenders. Wreaths on behalf of the President of the Republic and the Government were also laid at the site of a World War Two concentration campt at Jasenovac in western Slavonia. (hina) mm vm 092107 MET may 95