The 34th anniversary of the murder of 12 Croatian police officers, one of the most tragic events of the Homeland War and a symbol of the cruelty of the Greater Serbian aggressors, was marked on Friday with the laying of wreaths at the Memorial and a commemorative program in Borovo near Vukovar.
The commemoration was attended and honored by numerous delegations, including the Croatian Government, led by Vice President and Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović.
"The thirty-fourth anniversary is one of the most tragic events of the Homeland War and a symbol of the cruelty that the young Croatian state encountered. The names of the 12 police officers are actually a reminder of the price that Croatia paid for its freedom," emphasized Minister Božinović.
In Borovo today we remember the first collective Croatian victim in the Homeland War, after Josip Jović and Franko LIsica died as individuals, he added.
"So, the first deaths in the Homeland War were police deaths and the first actions to confront the enemy were organized by the police," Minister Božinović recalled the events at the beginning of the Greater Serbian aggression against the Republic of Croatia.
On the occasion of marking the 34th anniversary of the murder of a police officer in Borovo, Vukovar Mayor Ivan Penava said that it is always a sad event, which, however, takes place in a slightly lighter atmosphere this year, after the Cemeteries Act was passed, based on which all grave markers that glorify the aggression against Croatia are being removed.
"The Cemeteries Act has finally been passed, according to which all grave markers that offend the national, moral and religious feelings of citizens, glorify aggression against Croatia or belittle the Homeland War will be removed," Penava explained.
"So, there is already no plaque on the grave of Vukašin Šoškočanin, the Chetnik duke and leader of the Borovo massacre. The plaque was removed with a description of the character and deeds of that Chetnik duke. The monument still stands there, but it won't be for long. There has been a great relief from that side," added the Vukovar mayor from the ranks of the DP Penava.
The program marking the 34th anniversary of the murder of twelve Croatian police officers began with a parade from the entrance to Borovo to the memorial to the fallen police officers.
A memorial mass for all fallen Croatian defenders and civilian victims was served in the Church of St. Eusebius and Polion in Vinkovci, followed by a reception for participants in the "12 kilometers for 12 police officers" race.
In today's Borovo, and pre-war Borovo Selo, on May 2, 1991, Greater Serbian aggressors ambushed and massacred 12 Croatian police officers, members of the Vinkovci Special Police Unit, after they came to rescue two of their colleagues, who had been captured by members of Serbian paramilitary units during a regular patrol on the night of May 1-2.
The police officers killed were Stjepan Bošnjak (1955), Antun Grbavac (1961), Josip Culej (1966), Mladen Šarić (1965), Zdenko Perica (1965), Zoran Grašić (1969), Ivica Vučić (1961), Luka Crnković (1970), Marinko Petrušić (1966), Janko Čović (1965), Željko Hrala (1968) and Mladen Čatić (1971).
23 Croatian police officers were wounded in the attack.
Božinović and Penava on the text of Jutarnji list
At the commemoration of Minister Božinović, journalists asked for a comment on the Jutarnji List report from the session of the Presidency of the Homeland Movement (DP), where, as stated, DP President Penava made inappropriate comments about the President of the HDZ and the Government, Andrej Plenković.
Božinović said that this is part of political folklore intended for the internal political public in order to strengthen unity. "Prime Minister Plenković is always mentioned by many because it is a guarantee for them that he will appear before the national media, which will broadcast their statements," he added.
Vukovar Mayor Ivan Penava, commenting on the newspaper article, said that he would be "both silky and kind, very polite and eloquent when necessary, tough and would go through all the walls so as not to betray and always be on the homeland line". He added that anything else could be expected from him, except for betraying the Homeland Movement.
Photo: HINA/Gordan Panić
