President Rumen Radev Honoured Bulgarian Heroes at the Military Cemetery in Vukovar

At the Bulgarian Military Cemetery in Vukovar, President Rumen Radev paid tribute to the memory of Bulgarian officers and soldiers who perished during the final phase of World War II. The Bulgarian Head of State expressed gratitude to the Croatian authorities for their efforts in preserving the memory of the fallen.

During his official visit to Croatia, President Rumen Radev paid tribute to Bulgarian officers and soldiers who fell in the final phase of World War II in the fight against Nazism. A ceremony with full military honours was held at the Bulgarian Military Cemetery in Vukovar, where 1,027 officers, non‑commissioned officers, and soldiers of the First Bulgarian Army are buried.

Together with his Croatian hosts, President Radev laid a wreath at the monument bearing the names of the fallen Bulgarians. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the First Bulgarian Army’s involvement in the concluding stages of the Second World War.

Following the ceremony at the Bulgarian Military Cemetery, the President also laid a wreath at the Memorial to the Victims of the Croatian Homeland War (1991–1995), located in close proximity to the Bulgarian monument in Vukovar.

“As President of the Republic of Bulgaria, it was my duty to pay tribute to the memory of the fallen—both Bulgarians and Croats,” Rumen Radev told Bulgarian and Croatian media.

The Head of State emphasised that the memorial to the victims of Croatia’s Homeland War—who bravely defended their homeland’s life and freedom—serves as a powerful reminder that there is no such thing as a good war.

President Radev expressed appreciation to the Croatian side for maintaining the memory and honouring the fallen, as well as for the ongoing upkeep of the Bulgarian Military Cemetery and the adjacent memorial.

“It is precisely the remembrance of these events that can help us prevent future wars—something that is increasingly difficult today,” said Radev, adding that, unfortunately, wars are still being waged in which innocent people, including women and children, continue to die.

Yesterday, President Radev was officially welcomed by Croatian President Zoran Milanović and also held meetings with the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Gordan Jandroković, and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

“We had meaningful and substantive discussions on a wide range of issues concerning bilateral relations and regional challenges,” said President Radev.

Asked whether the topic of Sofia’s relations with Skopje was discussed during his meeting with the Prime Minister, the Bulgarian President expressed gratitude that, during the talks in Zagreb, the Croatian side had shown understanding and support regarding the situation with the rights of Bulgarians in the Republic of North Macedonia.

“The more Bulgaria explains its position and draws attention specifically to the rights of our compatriots in North Macedonia, the more it becomes clear that this is not a bilateral issue, but rather a problem of the leadership in the Republic of North Macedonia—one that the country must resolve with the European institutions by finally fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria for membership and the commitments undertaken by the government of North Macedonia in 2022,” Rumen Radev said.