FIRST IDENTIFIED OVCARA VICTIM BURIED IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, Feb 21 (Hina) - Family members, friends, fellow soldiers, representatives of the Croatian Parliament, Government and Army, as well as citizens of Zagreb and Vukovar, on Friday paid homage to the remains of Homeland War volunteer and Croatian Army officer Tomislav Lesic (42), the first identified victim of the Ovcara mass grave (near Vukovar, eastern Croatia), at the Zagreb Mirogoj cemetery. A valedictory speech was delivered by Lesic's one-time commander in Vukovar, Lieutenant Colonel Damir Radnic. "Upon going to Vukovar, we knew that some would never return. Four six years we looked forward to another meeting, but today we have gathered to pay you a last farewell. You gave your life to the Homeland and your family will finally be able to give you a worthy burial in your Zagreb," Radnic said. Joining in the last farewell were also, on behalf of his colleagues, the dean of the Faculty of Pharmaceutics and Biochemistry Marijan Pribanic and Drazen Takac, Dragan Zera on behalf of the families of the missing, as well as a representative of the Croatian Democratic Union of the Zagreb municipality, where Lesic lived. A letter from Lesic's fellow soldiers was also read. (hina) ha jn 211751 MET feb 97