A ceremony was held in Podrute near Novi Marof, about 50 kilometres northeast of Zagreb, on Saturday to commemorate five members of a European Community monitoring mission killed after their helicopter was shot down by a Yugoslav Air Force MiG-21 jet 20 years ago.
Italians Enzo Venturini, Marco Matta, Silvano Natale and Fiorenzo Ramacci, and Frenchman Jean-Loup Eychenne were killed in the crash. Among those attending the memorial ceremony were their families and friends, and former members of the monitoring mission.
Addressing those present, Croatian President Ivo Josipovic said that the five observers had built their lives into the independence of Croatia, a country that would soon join the European Union as a full member.
"Croatia was exposed to military aggression at the time and they witnessed her struggle for freedom, truth and justice, carrying their messages of reason and goodness. Their sacrifice was noble, and they showed that nobility and goodness are even stronger than death. We are eternally grateful to them," Josipovic said.
Josipovic said that today Croatia was a country whose military and police personnel were participating in peacekeeping missions round the world, just as the five EC monitors had assisted in establishing peace and ensuring progress. "Croatia today wants to build friendly relations with all its neighbours," he said.
Croatian government envoy Hrvoje Marusic said that the EC monitors were the first international casualties of the Homeland War who had witnessed the brutality of the military aggression against Croatia. He said that shortly after their deaths, Croatia was recognised as an independent state and was now on the doorstep of EU membership.
Marusic said that Croatia had in the meantime evolved from an aid recipient into a country whose military and police personnel were participating in international peacekeeping missions worldwide.
The Italian Ambassador in Croatia, Emanuelle Alessandro, said that in a country hit by a tragic conflict the EC observers gave their lives defending the peace, freedom and tolerance we are building today. Croatia is a full member of NATO, a forthcoming member of the EU and an important factor in the region, she added.
The deputy head of the EU Delegation in Zagreb, Paulo Berizzi, gave a brief chronology of events in the last 20 years, noting that in less than 18 months Croatia would become a full member of the EU in which it would participate in decision making processes and in preserving its values.
Many delegations laid wreaths and paid their respects at the monument honouring the five EC observers. Among them were delegations of the president and government of Croatia, the embassies of Italy and France, and military units.
Before the ceremony, a requiem service was held in the Church of the Queen of Peace in Podrute.
