Nigel Farage Takes on Jose Manuel Barroso
Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: EU, Euro crisis, Eurozone, Jose Manuel Barroso, Nigel Farage, UKIP
Croatia, the War, and the Future
Ina Vukic - Croatia: people, politics, history, economy, transitioning from communism to democracy
Welcome to my blog. Here I will bring to you a variety of topics covering the documented truth about that terrible war that Croatia had to endure during the period between 1991 and 1995 and about Croatian political history that shaped a wonderful nation of people.
Croatian people wanted independence for centuries, just as they had it until the twelfth century but fate was not on their side – others wanted their beautiful land. In late 1980′s the will to break free from Yugoslavia which suffocated freedom and self determination through harsh communist party rule finally bore the desired fruit.
In June 1991 Croatia declared its independence; soon after the aggressive war against Croatia broke out. The struggle of the Croatian people for self-determination was a just one. But I fear genuine justice has not been served as there have been, and there still exist, international covert and overt moves to equate victims with aggressors continue in attempts to change history. Truth often becomes obscured and lost and that is why I have chosen to write this blog, to concentrate on actual events and issues about Croatia – wishing it a bright and freedom-loving future.
It certainly was not easy to come out of the war that was fought on two fronts:
1. On the military front the world’s public has seen the indiscriminate bombardment of Croatian cities, towns and villages from land, sea and air; the destruction of civilian targets including homes, schools, hospitals, churches, factories and cultural monuments; the blockading and destruction of roads, bridges and ports; the blockading of power, water, food and medical supplies. What hasn’t been shown on our television sets is the forced clearing and evacuation of towns and villages, followed by looting, torture, rape and murder carried out by the Serbian forces, who were initially backed by the federal Yugoslav army that was largely constituted by Serb nationals; the transportation of multiple hundreds of innocent Croatian civilians from Croatia into concentration camps Serbia (Begejci, Stajicevo, Sremska Mitrovica… from October 1991, and later (1992) transferred into Serb-held camps in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Omarska, Keratern, Manjaca, Trnopolje).
2. The second front was the war of political propaganda centred on: misinformation about the rights of minorities in Croatia; portrayal of the Croatian people as Ustasha or Fascists; the representation of the Croatian defence forces as illegal paramilitary units; the representation of the Croatian and Slovenian republics as unreasonable secessionists who are unwilling to negotiate; a regurgitation of distorted facts about World War II.
Indeed Croatia had an absolute right to defend itself and this is often forgotten if not often denied it.
Ina has been a tireless volunteer on humanitarian aid and fundraising for victims of war in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially war orphans. From1991 to beginning of 1994 she contributed in lobbying for international recognition of Croatian independence and Croatia’s rights in defending its territory and people from military aggression by Serbian forces. For this dedicated voluntary work Ina was awarded two Medals of Honour by the first president of the Republic of Croatia in 1995 (Commemorative Medal of the Homeland War and Order of the Croatian Trefoil).Ina has also written hundreds articles for newspapers in Australia and Croatia on the plight of Croatian people for freedom and self-determination, developing democracy in former communist countries. She holds two graduate and one post-graduate university degrees, specialising in behaviour, clinical and political psychology and management.
“When they take everything from you, you’ll be left with two hands; put them together in prayer and then you’ll be the strongest.” Blessed Aloysius Stepinac (1898 – 1960)
“They could not, nor will they ever be able to kill our passion and our need to live in human dignity, in peace with ourselves and with the free nations of Europe. We have carved out that right at our first democratic elections. For this right and for our sacred land we are even ready to die” – Dr Franjo Tudjman (1922-1999) ( Addressing the Croatian nation at the moment of the start of Serbian aggression against Croatia, 16 October 1991)
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Can we grant Nigel Croatian citizenship…we need people with courage, strength and intellect especially in the government
Or at least hire Farage as a coach to government and all political leaders and hopefuls.
With all due respect to the other comments I would have to differ in my opinion of Farage, who I see as a typical British chauvanist sickened to death by the fact that France and Germany have become the driving forces in the EU. The Austrian MEP put a good question to him, to which he only negated the accusation – hardly a valid argument, typical in schoolyard arguments (no I’m not – you are). Nigel is a well-trained speaker who is no doubt paid mega-Euros to do what he does, mostly to stir up sh*t. I trust him as far as I could throw him. Cheers.
You clearly have no idea Whats going on in the EU. Unelected bureaucrats pushing their dream on everyone else without bothering to refer to the people. Do you think an institution which jumps from one crisis to another, with nothing more the delaying tactics hoping noone will notice, is successful ?
How easy and seamlessly a bunch of communists have discovered capitalism.
It’s crystal clear to anyone with their eyes open they will do anything to continue getting paid inflated tax free salaries regardless of the misery they are causing to many parts of Europe.
Hope it collapses and they get prosecuted.
Right-ee-oh. And I’m sure that loudmouth Farage, like that cockroach Roger Helmer, is pontificating about the sky falling out of the goodness of his heart. Fact is, Brits just can’t get over not being in control. In their world, THEY and only THEY own the thunder. In human relationships they would be called control freaks, a malady characterised by psychotic behavior.
Btw – your first two sentences pretty well sum up the entire gist of anti-EU arguments – doom and gloom at any cost. I’ve seen this kind of incessant rambling and fear mongering often in rhetoric from quasi-organizations like the Adriatic Institute (another incredibly cash-rich special interest failure). Just saying.
As a Brit with an interest in Croatian affairs (holiday house, 9 years) I am interested to observe Croatian attitudes to its joining the EU.
First, it surprises (and saddens) me that after finally achieving its independence after nearly 2,000 years of foreign rule it does not have the self confidence to want to retain it.
So far as Farage is concerned, his speeches are solely directed at a UK audience to demonstrate how the structure of the EU is evolving so as to destroy any democratic accountability to its nation states, at a time when there is a real probability that the increasing popularity of his party will force the UK government to grant a referendum to the UK electorate.
Just to correct a few jibes thrown by Brankec.
Farage is not a chauvinist. He has a well documented love of European culture in general, and French & Italian in particular; but he is a passionate believer in free trade. Unfortunately, the EU is by definition a trade protection block.
The Austrian’s question seemed to be “Why doesn’t Farage listen to …” What? The reason why the Austrian likes to get up in the morning? Farage responded with facts, eg that the EU governing body (that is the Commission, which is not even accountable to its own parliament) chose on several occasions to refuse to listen to the referendum results in a number of its nation states.
Farage is NOT “paid mega-Euros … mostly to stir up sh*t.” Do your research, Brankec, before you make libellous insults about other people’s integrity.
And finally, “… gist of anti-EU arguments – doom and gloom at any cost.” I don’t whether Brankec reads the international news; but if so, what does he feel are the principal causes of civil unrest and mass unemployment in so many of the Mediterranean countries? And does he think this would have happened if they were still running their own affairs?
Be careful Croatia. You have signed up to ditch the Kuna for the Euro and so you will have to be competitive with the Germans. So you might have to forego a few of those delicious coffees with your friends on the Riva of which you are so fond. And more’s the pity.