Croatia this Wednesday, November 18th, honours victims of one of the greatest crimes in Europe since the World War II which happened in Vukovar in 1991. Memorial Day will be held in Vukovar to mark the 24th anniversary of the city’s suffering in the war. The day before, on Tuesday evening, citizens from all over Croatia light candles in public spaces but also on the windows of their homes as well as during the ceremony in the courtyard of the old hospital of Vukovar in memory of the soldiers and civilians who died in the defence of the city, in the presence of Mayor Ivan Penava and the Chair of the City Council Igor Gavric.
Several Croatian cities also paid tribute to the city of Vukovar by lighting the candles in the streets like in Split and Rijeka. Mayor of the city of Varazdin Mr. Goran Habus and the Prefect Predrag Stromar joined students of Varazdin, primary school pupils, members of veterans associations and many citizens. “This is an opportunity to remember the suffering of Vukovar, its significance for the independence of Croatia, as well as Varazdin veterans … This is the time of transmission of history to younger generations in order not to forget and never repeat this tragic event … “said Mr. Habus asking at the same time to pay tribute to victims of terrorist attacks in Paris.
“Vukovar is a symbol of the Croatian unity, solidarity. Despite the fact that the city fell in 1991, it was a great turning point of the war, because it showed that Croatia is firm in its intention to become independent. And today we remember all the victims of Vukovar, but we also look to the future. The young people you see here, they are our priority, we should care about them for the future of Croatia “, said Ms. Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, President of Croatia.