Vukovar mayor Ivan Penava on Saturday called on all the residents of the easternmost town and the whole Croatian public to take part in a peaceful protest in Vukovar on October 13 against what he called the shameful silence of Croatian institutions.

“I want the protest to be peaceful, apolitical, without party insignia, for the affirmation of fundamental human rights,” he told reporters.

Penava recalled the numerous locations in the town area where crimes were committed during the 1991-95 Homeland War.

He said “almost nothing has been done in the 27 years since the most horrific crimes were committed,” and that “most” of the blame lay “with politicians and people paid to enforce the law.”

“I believe some positions are above politics and some values above party discipline,” Penava said, adding that “it’s time we give clear deadlines to institutions such as the Justice Ministry, the Chief State Prosecutor’s Office, security and intelligence services and the Interior Ministry to prosecute those responsible for crimes at all levels or to leave their place to those who can do it.”

There is no excuse for inaction, Penava said, underlining the need to prosecute war-related crimes.