Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic on Thursday led a delegation of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party who laid a wreath on the grave of the first president of independent Croatia, Franjo Tudjman, at Zagreb's Mirogoj Cemetery to commemorate the 21st anniversary of his death.

Jandrokovic said that by commemorating Tudjman’s death the HDZ showed respect for its founder and the founder of modern Croatia and for everything he had done so that the Croatian people would have their own state.

“(Tudjman” is one of the few historical figures who managed to translate his vision into reality. Throughout his whole life and career, he wrote and spoke about a free, sovereign and democratic Croatia and eventually he led the creation of the Croatian state. He was pivotal in the realisation of this centuries-old desire of the Croatian people to have their own state,” Jandrokovic said.

The delegation also included the HDZ vice-president, Veterans’ Minister Tomo Medved, and the party’s secretary general, Krunoslav Katicic.