The commemoration was organised by the Interior Ministry.
Wreaths were laid at the monument to Jović by his family, representatives of Homeland War associations, Interior Minister Davor Božinović and War Veterans Minister Tomo Medved, and representatives of the local authorities. Before them and outside of protocol, President Zoran Milanović also laid a wreath.
Leading a prayer, Monsignor Jure Bogdan said "the shot fired on Easter Sunday (in 1991) was a shot against the resurrection of the Croatian state that we desired and dreamed of for years." "But Easter cannot be killed," he added.
Thirty-three years ago, "the intentions of the enemy to cut Croatia in half at Plitvice, to later destroy it more easily, were thwarted," said Božinović, adding that afterwards the bravery of Croatian people and defenders created a free Croatia.
"The first operations were carried out by members of the Interior Ministry, the Anti-Terrorist Unit Lučko, the Interior Ministry's Special Operations Unit Rakitje, and the Kumrovec Special Police Unit," he said.
Božinović said he was pleased to see more citizens, especially young people, attending the commemoration of this event every year, "which means that we are passing on the truth about the glorious days of the creation of the Croatian state to our youngest."
"The truth must be known. The unsaid truth dies. That's why we are determined to continue on this path and to continue building Croatia as a prosperous state," Božinović said.
General Josip Lucić called Jović a symbol "of all our fallen, wounded, and deceased," while Minister Medved said "Bloody Easter" was in the collective consciousness of the Croatian people and thanked everyone who preserved the memory of Jović "in a dignified manner."
"I shared the same dreams with him in the same unit," he said. "We were well aware (at Jović's funeral) of what we, as a nation, would have to go through, what we, as police officers, special forces, would have to do to have an independent and sovereign Croatian state. Unfortunately, after Josip Jović, many have laid their lives for the homeland."