In his eulogy, Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic said everyone often spoke nicely about the deceased but that nice words were said about Sprem when he was alive as well.

You brought people together. The times are tough and in these tough times we should be together, at least a little, in the way you tried to be, Milanovic said, adding, "Dear Boris, dear friend, dear comrade, goodbye."

Sprem was the speaker of the Croatian parliament, one of the most senior officials of Croatia, and appointment to that office was an expression of respect and honour by his political allies as well as those on the other part of the political spectrum, said President Ivo Josipovic.

Members of parliament and many Croatian citizens loved and respected him, he said, adding that in more than 30 years of political activity, Sprem had always put public interest first.

"He dedicated his entire professional and political life to the idea of serving people and never put his private interest before the public interest," Josipovic said, adding that Sprem had been a model citizen, politician and statesman, an example of honesty, modesty, public loyalty, and the high ethical standards which are expected of everyone in the public arena.

"We are saying goodbye to a person who remained without a stain in his long and fruitful political career. He was on the side of bringing together, not dividing. We are saying goodbye to a parliament speaker who not only understood well what parliamentarianism is, but who lived in the spirit of parliamentarianism," the president said, adding that Sprem's legacy was not small and that it had not gone unnoticed by the public.

A eulogy was also delivered by Auxiliary Zagreb Bishop Mijo Gorski.

The funeral procession, with the coffin covered with a Croatian flag and led by Croatian Army servicemen, then travelled to the vault, where eulogies were delivered by two of Sprem's long-standing friends.

The late parliament speaker was buried with the highest military honours.