More than 30,000 people from all over Croatia took part in Wednesday's Vukovar Remembrance Day procession from the eastern town's hospital to the Homeland War Memorial Cemetery, remembering 18 November 1991, when the town's defence lines were broken after a three-month siege by the Yugoslav People's Army and Serb paramilitaries, and paying their respects to the victims.
Among those walking were Parliament Speaker Josip Leko, Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic and President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic.
"Vukovar deserves having its tragedy marked in such a dignified manner, that we remember all those who were killed, went missing or died, that survivors pass through this remembrance procession. I hope that those who for the past two years organised a disgraceful observance of Vukovar's tragedy and used it for politicking are sorry today. If they are truly sorry, then half is forgiven," War Veterans Minister Predrag Matic said.
The president of Croatia's society of former Serb-run concentration camp inmates, Danijel Rehak, said justice was still far from having been served in Vukovar. "Two million shells fell on the town of Vukovar and there's no house without a victim."
After being divided and politicised for the past two commemorations, this year's remembrance procession was united, with one instead of two columns taking part in it.
(Hina) ha
News
