The national day of fighting violence against women is observed on September 22 in memory of 22 September 1999, when three women were killed at the court - Judge Ljiljana Hvalec, lawyer Hajra Prohic, and Gordana Oreskic - by Oreskic's husband Mato during a divorce hearing. He also gravelly wounded a court reporter Stanka Cvetkovic.
Opacic said this was a day to remember the death of two women who were doing their job and a third one who had attempted "to break the vicious circle of domestic violence."
She said the national day of fighting violence against women was an opportunity to underscore that violence was unacceptable and that it must be reported.
Opacic said statistics showed that domestic violence was declining but that women and children still suffered violence at home. The goal is to change the law so as to remove the abuser from the family instead of placing women and children in shelters.
She underlined the importance of health education, notably about the non-violent resolution of conflicts.
Supreme Court president Branko Hrvatin underlined the importance of zero tolerance to violence. He warned that the belittling of judges and the judicial authority in public made tragedies such as the one of 14 years ago possible, highlighting the importance of learning to treat courts, judges and the parties coming to court with respect.
Present at today's commemoration were also Justice Minister Orsat Miljenic, Police Director Vlado Dominic, representatives of the Bar Association, the Interior Ministry, the victims' families, and associations for the protection and promotion of human and women's rights.