PM dismisses claims of reviving fascism in Croatia

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic on Monday dismissed the insinuations about the revival of fascism in the Croatian society, assessed that the erection of the disputable plaque in Jasenovac was a sensitive matter and pledged that he would seek appropriate legislative solutions to regulate issues pertaining to totalitarian regimes.

"First and foremost, I want to clearly and strongly refute the insinuations about the re-fascistisation of the Croatian society. No way that is it. There are some occurrences, but this is not a trend. I pay tribute to all victims in the Ustasha-run camp of Jasenovac. I also pay tribute to 11 members of the HOS association that gave their lives for Croatia," Plenkovic said on Monday evening while addressing the press after the HDZ leadership met in the party's headquarters.

The HOS (Croatian Defence Forces) Fighters Association recently erected a monument to the 11 HOS volunteers killed during the 1991-1995 Homeland Defence War, and the monument with the controversial salute "For the homeland ready" was set up in the eastern town of Jasenovac which had been the site of the Ustasha-run concentration camp in the World War Two.

Plenkovic admitted that "it is is delicate that such a monument has been erected in Jasenovac."

He recalled that the monument had the coat-of-arms of the association that was registered with such insignia during the SDP-led government.

All those cases, including the situation with the HOS monument in Jasenovac show that "we have not appropriately created the legal framework and judicial practice when it comes to totalitarian systems."

Plenkovic called on experts, scientists and political stakeholders to be engaged in efforts to address the matter appropriately.

"We will seek appropriate legislative solutions," he added.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Davor Ivo Stier (HDZ) earlier on Monday gainsaid the comments that the government was not reacting to the memorial plaque in Jasenovac inscribed with with the Ustasha salute "For the homeland ready", underscoring the inscription was part of the coat of arms of an association registered during the time of the  (SDP leader) Ivica Racan cabinet.

Asked if the government would react to the plaque he said, "This government will approach the matter systematically and institutionally, in line with the programme of the HDZ, which condemns all forms of totalitarianism - fascism, Nazism and communism. We believe this matter must be solved like that, institutionally, and that one must stop manipulating it for daily politics."

A senior US official said on Monday that fascistisation was not visible in Croatia, as claimed by Serbia, which has called on the international community to react to "the expansion of fascism" in Croatia.

I don't see that trend, Hoyt Brian Yee, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Euroasian Affairs, told the press in Zagreb.

 

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