A protest which the Mayor of Vukovar, Ivan Penava, initiated over the state’s inefficiency in prosecuting war crimes more than a month ago started in the eastern town on Saturday.

The rally started with a rendition of the national anthem and a minute’s silence for the Homeland War victims, after which war veteran Mladen Roguljic spoke via video link about the suffering endured by people held at the Borovo Commerce company in Vukovar’s Borovo Naselje neighbourhood, after the town fell into the hands of the former Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) and Serb paramilitaries in November 1991.

The president of the Vukovar mayor’s council for war veterans, Tomislav Josic, addressed the protesters saying that those who could help Vukovar were not present in the town.

Numerous protesters carried Croatian flags as well as flags of their wartime units and banners calling for the punishment of people responsible for the tragedy of Vukovar and other Croatian towns in the 1991-95 war.

Among the protesters were retired general Ljubo Cesic Rojs, civil society activist Zeljka Markic, Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) MP Stevo Culej, Bridge MP Miro Bulj, independent MP Zeljko Glasnovic, Zlatko Hasanbegovic and Bruna Esih, MPs of the Independents for Croatia party, former HDZ member Darko Milinovic, and HRAST party MP Hrvoje Zekanovic.

Speakers at the protest said that in parallel with the Vukovar rally, protests were also being held in many countries where Croat emigrants live.

By the end of the rally, several other Croatian veterans and war victims were expected to give their testimonies, and the rally will close with an address by Mayor Penava.

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