Donji Macelj hosts burial for 500 victims exhumed from Slovenian mass graves

In Donji Macelj, Croatia, a commemoration was held for the final burial of 500 Croatian victims whose remains were exhumed from four mass graves in Slovenia. The victims, mostly young men and minors, showed signs of violent death, including gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma. The exhumations took place in Trebče, Podstenice, Košnica pri Celju, and Cerklje ob Krki.

Separately, the Croatian Ministry of Croatian Veterans released a semi-annual report for the first half of 2026. The report states that authorities have identified 31 potential sites of concealed graves related to the Homeland War, with 1,725 persons still missing. The Ministry also continues to process data regarding victims of World War II and the post-war period, having processed 1,549 such data points to date.

Officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Tomo Medved and Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ivan Penava, emphasized the state's obligation to provide dignity to the deceased and truth to the families. The efforts are part of a systematic approach to uncovering the fates of those lost during various conflicts and totalitarian regimes.