Wreath were laid and candles lit at the Memorial Cemetery of the Homeland War Victims in Vukovar to mark Vukovar Croatian Defenders Day, with President Zoran Milanovic among those attending the event.

On 10 March 1991 the first unarmed units were formed in Bogdanovci outside Vukovar, which marked the beginning of formation of forces that would defend the city, Slavonia and the rest of the country.

“Around 2,500 people from the then Vukovar Municipality participated in the line-up in Bogdanovci on that day. It was actually the first lining-up of the 204th Vukovar Brigade, which did not have any weapons,” said Tomislav Josic, advisor on war veterans to the city authorities, himself a participant in those events.

Vukovar Mayor Ivan Penava said Vukovar defenders as well as all the others across the country deserved most credit for Croatia’s independence.

“We must continue fighting for Croatia because Croatia is losing every day what they fought for, sovereignty,” said Penava.

President and Armed Forces Commander in Chief Zoran Milanovic also laid a wreath and lit a candle at the central memorial at the Homeland War Victims Memorial Cemetery but did not make any statements.

Wreaths were also laid by representatives of the government and parliament, as well as of county and city authorities.