A commemoration was held at Cukur Hill in Hrvatska Kostajnica on Saturday to mark the 33rd anniversary of the death of HTV cameraman Gordan Lederer, who was killed by Serb rebels during their attacks on settlements in the valley of the Una River in 1991.

“Gordan (Lederer) was not only a war photojournalist and correspondent of the HRT (Croatian public broadcaster), he was a witness of those times. However, the enemy did not stop him, as his name is forever inscribed in the history of Croatia,” War Veterans’ Affairs Minister Tomo Medved said at today’s ceremony.

Medved was at the battlefield when Lederer was killed while on a journalistic assignment, and as a direct witness to Lederer’s fatal wounding by a Serb sniper, Medved recalled the event and the efforts to save his life.

Gordan’s death particularly struck Croatian defenders, said Medved, praising Lederer for his work that promoted the truth about the start of Croatia’s war of independence and the Great Serbia war of aggression.

Lederer’s camera was an invincible weapon in the struggle against lies, he added.

Ana Lederer, the widow, said that 10 August 1991 was the saddest day in the life of their family, however, despite, this grief and suffering, they feel great pride, she added.

Gordan Lederer gave their life for the truth, she underscored.

Lederer was killed on Cukur Hill on 10 August 1991 while on assignment filming Croatian defenders. He was killed by a Serb sniper while filming defenders in action during Serb attacks. He left behind many documentary recordings about the first days of the Homeland War.