Wreaths were laid and candles lit in Vukovar on Sunday to commemorate the 97 police officers who were killed or went missing in the 1991-95 Homeland War. Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said that the police had been the first barrier against the Greater Serbian aggression.

“Today we commemorate the great sacrifice of Croatian policemen in the Homeland War, in which they were the first barrier against the Greater Serbian aggression, which served as the basis for the later establishment of the National Guard Corps and the Croatian Army. We will and must never forget the sacrifice of those who were killed or are missing in the Homeland War,” Bozinovic said at the event, which was also attended by the Director of the National Police Nikola Milina, the Mayor of Vukovar Ivan Penava and other representatives of local authorities and associations.

Among the 97 police officers who were killed or are missing in the defence of Vukovar in 1991 and whose names were read out at the memorial ceremony were 61 police officers from Vukovar-Srijem County, 15 police officers from Varazdin County, 11 from Medjimurje County, six from Brod-Posavina County and four members of the Lucko anti-terrorist unit.