Touching in Vukovar: 35 years since the formation of unarmed detachments

On the occasion of the Day of the Croatian Defenders of Vukovar, wreaths were laid and candles lit today at the Memorial Cemetery of the Victims of the Homeland War in Vukovar and at the foot of the monument in the center of Bogdanovci by state and other delegations, including the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović.

Bogdanovci - the gate to Vukovar and a symbol of Croatian unity

On this day 35 years ago, more than two and a half thousand unarmed Croatian defenders from the former municipality of Vukovar lined up in Bogdanovci. This made this small place crucial for the defense of the city of Vukovar.

On March 10, 1991, more than 2,500 unarmed people lined up in Bogdanovci. They knew that a difficult battle awaited them, but no one could have imagined how difficult it would be.

Bogdanovci was not important only on that day - throughout 1991, this place was a key path to salvation for Vukovar. Medicines, personnel and weapons arrived in the city through the corn road, also known as the road of salvation. The fall of Bogdanovici on November 10, 1991 marked the accelerated fall of Vukovar.

Unity, harmony and love for the homeland

At today's commemoration, when Vukovar celebrates Defenders' Day, messages of unity and remembrance came from Bogdanovici, but also from the city of Vukovar.

Representatives of the Municipality, City, County, Parliament, Government, families of fallen and missing defenders, as well as President Zoran Milanović, were present.

“They say that a picture speaks louder than words. Hell. If there were no words and letters, we wouldn't exist either. However, here the picture speaks a lot. There are two plaques on the monument. On one, there are victims of World War II, civilians, soldiers. On the other plaque, there are many more people, this is our last war that we survived and which, after 35 years, is still here, it will not just go away. This picture speaks of the suffering of this region and its people,” President Milanović said in his address in Bogdanovci.

According to him, unarmed people gathered in Bogdanovci in 1991 in an act of enormous personal courage. "They may have been alone then, but they were not lonely, and that is a huge difference," Milanović said, adding that loneliness often leads to loss, and these people were not lost but aware of what they had to do and what price they might have to pay for it.

He also said that in light of global tensions, it is good for Croatia to be alone, but not lonely and to think for itself. He also assessed that it is normal to argue and divide over small things, but when it comes to fateful decisions, it is necessary to achieve dialogue.

“This joint commemoration is a symbol of the unity that existed in 1991, when the defenders stood together to defend Vukovar, Bogdanovici and all the places in the then Vukovar municipality. We were not divided then, and we do not want them to divide us today,” said Vukovar Mayor Marijan Pavliček.

He also said that it should be acknowledged that unarmed detachments in Bogdanovci gathered under the leadership of Tomislav Merčep and that on that day the foundations of the defense of the city of Vukovar and the entire former Vukovar municipality were laid.

The mayor of the Bogdanovci municipality, Marko Barun, also called for unity, saying that it was more needed by the Croatian people than ever in an atmosphere of tension in the world.

On behalf of the Croatian Parliament Speaker, a wreath was laid and a candle was lit by the Deputy Parliament Speaker, Ivan Penava, and on behalf of the government by State Secretary Zvonko Milas.

“This is the day that we have chosen with the majority of veterans' associations as a day on which no one has yet died and when the war had not even started, a day when we will be able to celebrate and rejoice,” said Penava, adding that, although the war is over, the fighting in favor of Croatia has continued.

“Although these battles are much easier today, we have come to the point of removing the mausoleum of Vukašin Šoškočanin not far from Vukovar, which was protruding and was an eyesore to Croatian defenders and citizens who believe in constitutional values,” said Penava.

According to Zvonko Milas, Bogdanovci is the place where Croatian statehood began to be born.

“It was a line-up of ordinary people who decided that Croatia would not fall by whispering, and they did everything so that Croatia could organize its defense, defend itself, and ultimately gain independence and sovereignty,” said Milas.

The Day of the Croatian Defenders of Vukovar is celebrated in memory of March 10, 1991, and the line-up of more than 2,000 members of unarmed detachments from the area of the former Vukovar municipality in Bogdanovci.

“Today marks 35 years since the first line-up and I can't say anything other than that I am gripped by emotions, as I believe are everyone here, especially us, who survived, who participated in the defense of Vukovar, the creation of the Croatian state, and I hope that in this kind of, I would say, good thinking with each other, we will always be here as long as we exist,” said State Secretary at the Central Office for Croats Abroad Zvonko Milas.

Source: HRT