34th anniversary of the deaths of police officers in Beli Manastir

The 34th anniversary of the tragic deaths of members of the Beli Manastir Police Station, Marjan Kuzman and Zoran Sinanović, was marked today. After the laying of wreaths in front of the monument at the police station, a memorial mass was held for all fallen and deceased Croatian defenders.

On August 13, 1991, while performing police duties near the Remont Company in Beli Manastir, police officers Marjan Kuzman and Zoran Sinanović were killed in an ambush, and police officer Darko Maltar was wounded. Members of the Special Police Unit from Osijek were sent to help, and an ambush was set up between the towns of Uglješ and Čeminac. Vidoja Marić was killed in the ambush.

Danijela Kuzman, daughter of the deceased Marjan Kuzman, recalled that day.

“When all this happened, I had just turned 10. I would have preferred that my dad were with me now, but apparently it had to happen that way. While the other children were enjoying their childhood, I had to grow up quickly. Mom was left a widow with two little girls,” she said.

The police officers at that time did not have any automatic weapons, only pistols in regular service, and it was extremely difficult to perform the regular tasks they had, recalled the wartime commander of the Beli Manastir police station, Ante Prgomet, adding that the 4th police station continued its activities in the defense of Osijek

“The 4th Beli Manastir police station continued to operate in the defense of the Republic of Croatia and we actively participated in the defense of the city of Osijek in the northern zone. The whole time we were in Baranja, across the Drava River, where we guarded the Osijek positions, and we did so successfully, as well as all other tasks in the defense of the homeland.

Numerous delegations laid wreaths and lit candles in front of the memorial at the Police Station in Beli Manastir, among them was Vukovar veteran and State Secretary at the Ministry of Veterans Affairs Zlatan Bašić.

“These are difficult days, especially for us veterans who fought in the Homeland War, this is the beginning of all the attacks on Croatia and the daily deaths of brothers in arms and friends,” he said.

We add that six police officers died and 78 were wounded in the line of duty in defending the territorial integrity and independence of the Republic of Croatia.

Source: HRT