President Milanović Marks National Day of Combating Violence Against Women

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović participated today in the observance of the National Day of Combating Violence Against Women, which is marked annually in Croatia in remembrance of the tragic events of September 1999, when three women were killed at the Zagreb Municipal Court. In their memory, and in honour of all women victims of violence, President Milanović lit a candle and laid flowers in front of the Municipal Civil Court building in Zagreb.

At the Zagreb Municipal Court, during divorce proceedings, three women were killed: Judge Ljiljana Hvalec, party to the case Gordana Oraškić, and her lawyer Hajra Prohić, while court clerk Stanka Cvetković was seriously injured. The National Day of Combating Violence Against Women has been observed in the Republic of Croatia since 2004, with the goal of raising awareness and sensitizing society to the issue of violence against women, as well as sending a message of zero tolerance for all forms of violence against women.

This year’s observance of the National Day of Combating Violence Against Women took place at the Municipal Civil Court in Zagreb. A minute of silence was held to honor all women who lost their lives to gender-based violence, followed by speeches. The President of the Municipal Civil Court in Zagreb, Petra Kušević Fraculj, the President of the Association of Croatian Judges, Damir Kontrec, the Minister of Justice, Damir Habijan, and the President of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Croatia, Radovan Dobronić, spoke on the importance of raising awareness and addressing the seriousness of this societal issue.

President Milanović was accompanied by Melita Mulić, Adviser to the President of the Republic for Human Rights and Civil Society.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek