Centuries-old crosses from Serbian graves hauled away as scrap in Croatia

Iron crosses were dismantled from several Orthodox cemeteries in Vrbovsko, Croatia. Photo: News Portal

On February 16, 2026, in the Croatian town of Vrbovsko, iron crosses were dismantled from several old Orthodox cemeteries – and some of them, local residents say, ended up at a scrap-metal collection point. Police have opened an investigation, UOJ Serbia reports.

The case concerns crosses in Ljubošina and in other burial grounds. Some of the removed markers were said to be several centuries old. Representatives of the Serbian community estimate that as many as one hundred grave signs may have been taken away. Milan Mamula, the deputy mayor representing the Serbian minority, stated that 72 crosses were removed from one cemetery alone – some, he says, were torn out, while others were cut off.

City authorities acknowledge that work was carried out. However, Mayor Dražen Mufić claims that only “a dozen tilted and ruined metal remnants” were removed as a safety hazard. According to him, none of the dismantled crosses had an officially registered owner or protected-monument status, and the коммунal service acted within the framework of routine cemetery maintenance.

Representatives of the Serbian community say they were not informed about the dismantling and view what happened as an affront to the dignity of the departed and to the rights of a national minority. They also emphasize that the procedure for recognizing graves as abandoned requires a public notice – which, they say, was not issued.

Police confirmed they are examining the circumstances. A municipal inspector who took part in the dismantling has been summoned to provide explanations.

As the UOJ previously reported, the Serbian Church transferred the relics of the Jasenovac New Martyrs to Croatia.

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