Croatia remembers Vukovar victims on 28th anniversary

(Photo: Ured Presjednice)

ZAGREB, 17 November 2019 – Thousands of candles have been lit tonight all over Croatia as the nation remembers victims from the 1990s Homeland War from the city of Vukovar.

Cities and town all over the country have a street named after Vukovar, and on Sunday night candles were lit and placed on the sidewalks of them to mark Vukovar Remembrance Day.

Thousands of candles again were lit in the capital Zagreb along the 10-kilometre Vukovar Street to remember victims who list their lives in 1990s Homeland War in Vukovar. 

On Sunday evening, President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović paid respects to the victims who lost their lives by lighting candles and praying in front of  Vukovar hospital. A full day programme marking the occasion will take place on Monday in Vukovar.

(Photo: Ured Presjednice)

(Photo: Ured Presjednice)

Every year on the 18th of November the anniversary of the fall of Vukovar is marked in Croatia. During the 87-day siege of Vukovar by the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) between August and November 1991, 1,624 people were killed, including 12 children, 1,219 were wounded, and more than 350 Croatian soldiers unaccounted for. More than 22,000 Croats and other non-Serbs were also expelled from the city.

(Photo: Ured Presjednice)

Vukovar was defended by around 1,800 lightly armed soldiers of the Croatian National Guard and civilian volunteers, against 36,000 JNA soldiers. On 18 November, the last defenders in Vukovar’s town centre surrendered.

Monday is the 28th Vukovar Remembrance Day. 

Vukovar (Photo: Ivo Biocina/Croatian National Tourist Board)

Also on 18 November, the victims of the Škabrnja massacre are also remembered. Over 60 Croatian civilians lost their lives on this day in the villages of Škabrnja and Nadin northeast of Zadar at the hands of JNA.