Croatia marks 30th anniversary of Battle of Vukovar

In two months, Croatia will mark the Day of Remembrance for the Vukovar Sacrifice, while today is the 30th anniversary of the Battle of Vukovar. A program marking the day began early this morning with a vigil through the streets of Vukovar and the laying of wreaths and lighting of candles at the Memorial Cemetery. The central ceremony was held in the courtyard of Eltz Manor. 

"Today we pay respects to the iron will and determination of Croatian veterans and their super human efforts that amazed and encouraged all of Croatia. We commemorate their unique military feat in which they wrote one of the most glorious pages of Croatian military history," said Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

“In that battle between David and Goliath, Croatian defenders, by holding the enemy in the area of Vukovar, secured three additional months for the remainder of Croatia to consolidate the Croatian Armed Forces,” said Plenković.

The Prime Minister noted that today, Croatia as a free and proud nation, remembers the significance of the battle. He recalled that Vukovar was attacked by 30,000 soldiers, 600 tanks, 500 armored personnel carriers and 180 Howitzers, while on the other side the city was defended by six thousand defenders and volunteers.

He said that in Vukovar two worlds collided, the forming Croatian democracy and the disappearing totalitarian Greater Serbian regime. On one side the idea of an independent, democratic, European and inclusive Croatia, and on the other side a totalitarian, hegemonic and exclusive Milošević regime that advocated the backward concept of ethnically clean territories.

"This is opposite to the values on which modern Europe is founded. Croatia strived for those values at the time and is today a member of the European Union and NATO," said Prime Minister Plenković.

Source: HRT