Croatian veteran memorials in Slatine and Kozica honor fallen war heroes

Two community events in Croatia commemorated local war veterans. In Slatine, the football club Mladost Bakić hosted the 4th Ivan Gorenac Memorial youth tournament, featuring U‑9, U‑11 and U‑13 matches. The opening ceremony included a flower arrangement at Ivan Gorenac’s gravesite, a minute of silence, and speeches by club president Slaven Zagorac and HVIDR representatives. Teams from the region competed, with NK Slatina winning the U‑9 category and NK Suhopolje topping the U‑13. Awards were presented to standout players such as Mateo Mudri and Karlo Kojadin.

In Kozica, the first Ivan Medved Đoni Memorial was held under the patronage of Slatine’s city government. The ceremony began at the local cemetery with lamp‑lighting and a minute of silence for all fallen Croatian defenders. Speakers, including HVIDR leaders and the mayor’s deputy, paid tribute to the late veteran. The event concluded with a bowling competition in which ten veteran teams participated, with HVIDR Slatina taking first place. Medals were handed out by local officials and family members.