Zlatko Hasanbegovic: “I have never in any way whatsoever
been an apologist for any criminal regime,
whether Ustashe or Communist regime.
Indeed, in all my public appearances
and works I have always clearly emphasised
that the Ustashe crimes (WWII)
have not only burdened with a mortgage of defeat
but represent the biggest moral stumbling
in the history of Croatian people…”
Photo: Patrick Macek/Pixsell
How much the Jewish and communist lobby coming in the form of increased false accusations against Croatia’s culture minister Zlatko Hasanbegovic as Holocaust denier or anti-Semitic during the past three/four days, calling for his sacking, has to do with the fact that Istrael’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s words calling people of the neighbouring states “wild beasts” (and therefore needs lobby to raise the Holocaust tragedy up a notch or two in order to soften the blow of his atrocious words) is anyone’s guess. Whatever one’s conclusion here may be, one thing is for sure: Israel’s media (Jerusalem Times, Arutz Sheva…) and often pro-WWII and pro-post-WWII communist media outlet US Huffington Post and others have with terrible bias and discrimination against the truth jumped onto the bandwagon of Croatia’s pro-communists and anti-lustration communist crimes deniers to crucify an innocent man: Zlatko Hasanbegovic.
US Huffington Post and Israel’s national news portal Arutz Sheva have passed onto the world’s public most biased and politically suspect writings by The Adriatic Institute in Croatia, led by married couple Natasha Srdoc and her husband Joel Anand Samy against Hasanbegovic. What terrifies is not that these people along with Efraim Zuroff of Simon Wiesenthal Centre promote untruths and outright lies – that is to be expected in political battles and political scuffles for power – but the fact that these foreign media outlets such as Huffington Post and Jerusalem Post and Arutz Sheva have done nothing to seek balance and present the full picture of truth. The evidently politically conniving Arutz Sheva have even decided to pin a “far right” tag onto conservative centre-right HDZ/Croatian Democratic Union party in government when there is absolutely no evidence for that, and it’s very far from the truth. It calls Adriatic Institute “a leading Croatian think tank” when in fact it’s very far from that also. A small group of people with seemingly the “right” links around the world working to bring down conservative side of political orientation in Croatia, or perhaps, paying media outlets for the articles it writes (?) much in pursuit of amassing wealth perhaps.
I find it utterly insulting when I come across a completely vitriolic, filled with untruths and politically evil words designed to vilify the whole of the Croatian nation, reported statement by Adriatic Institute’s Joel Anand Samy that “the rise of anti-Semitism in Croatia and efforts of those connected to the HDZ political party to apply a revision of history with attempts to remove the facts on the Holocaust which killed six million Jews should be denounced by strong rule of law nations and Western diplomats based in Zagreb. The world cannot remain silent or look the other way”. Of course, Samy goes on to accuse Croatia’s government leaders of encouraging anti-Semitism!
Even the fact that Croatia’s minister Zlatko Hasanbegovic has stated that the WWII Ustashi movement was the biggest moral stumbling of Croatians in history, thus in no uncertain terms condemning anti-Semitism or pro-Nazi movements during that time and any that may be lurking around, is not good enough for communist crimes deniers and obstructers of justice for their victims such as Samy and Srdoc seem to be. It’s not good enough for mentioned Israel’s media outlets, either!
“I have never in any way whatsoever been an apologist for any criminal regime, whether Ustashe or Communist regime. Indeed, in all my public appearances and works I have always clearly emphasised that the Ustashe crimes (WWII) have not only burdened with a mortgage of defeat but represent the biggest moral stumbling in the history of Croatian people, whose evil shadow hovers over the Croatian people to today. I am against all totalitarianism, fascist and communist, I belong to the government and political party that firmly stand behind plantings of democratic antifascism, anti-communism and anti-totalitarianism and which is dedicated to the values of democracy and parliamentary government. This is my view as a human being, as citizen, as politician and my moral and if you like my scientific view,” stated minister Hasanbegovic in one of his responses to false accusations and persecution against him.
One does not need to look too far to see why in the same article that quoted Samy from Adriatic Institute the Israel national news portal or Huffington Post evidently made no effort in seeking responses from Croatia to Samy’s allegations! It would seem in their interest especially now when Israel’s Prime Minister is engaging in “Hitler talk” against Arabs to keep regurgitating stuff about the Holocaust or anti-Semitism even if that stuff has no basis in truth of today.
It’s blatantly clear that Minister Hasanbegovic’s persecutors’ are not interested in the truth as things are panning out at the moment. If they were interested in the truth they would have nothing to say against the man on the score of Holocaust or anti-Semitism. But they must say something because they are fighting to retain the portrayal of the criminal Yugoslav communists as some kind of morally righteous movement that committed no crimes! And any killings they may have done, they would say – were justified and necessary! How utterly deranged!
Benjamin Netanyahu
Prime Minister of Israel:
“In the environment we live in,
we need to protect ourselves from
wild beasts.”
It is, of course, also to Netanyahu’s advantage at this time that at least some of the world’s attention is taken by issues of alleged today’s pro-Nazi fascists in any government, let alone Croatia, part of which had played its terrible part in the Holocaust – his terrible words against the Arabs or people of countries around Israel, calling them “wild beasts”, might then get buried without too much condemnation.
“In the environment we live in, we need to protect ourselves from wild beasts,” he said.
During the late 1930s, Adolf Hitler had referred to the Jews of Austria and Germany as “blood sucking beasts”. He then set about committing one of the most heinous crimes against them and elsewhere in Europe where his troops occupied territory, referred to as the ‘Holocaust’. Loosely defined, it is the systematic and willful slaughter or destruction of a people on a mass scale, to the point of extermination. But, at the same time and after World War II another holocaust had transpired on a much greater scale: mass murders, slaughters and extermination of innocent people opponents of communist regime. Every time I write about this I feel like a broken record, repeating ever more painfully this awful truth that communists have not paid for their crimes nor even condemned strongly enough where such strength brings about rejection of that totalitarian regime as being antifascist and positive even minutely. Perhaps once the communist crimes are brought on par with the Holocaust, which they in all the tragic reality were, the world won’t tolerate so easily anyone calling another human being a “wild beast” (?).
Netanyahu’s “wild beasts” comments serve “well” those who argue that there has been a Holocaust going on against Palestinians in past decades and do not appear much different from what Hitler had said so many decades back about Jews. Have Netanyahu’s awful words sparked conclusions that Nazism and Zionism have thus merged into one? One could not but answer – having some aspects in mind it seems so, yes. But, there are no analyses or criticism of these words uttered by Netanyahu in Istrael’s media outlets that I could find. Yet, so much on the terror of the Holocaust, so much on victimisation and vilifying Croatia’s culture minister and centre-right government for anti-Semitism that does not exist – unless, of course, one went so far and evilly connected the minister Hasanbegovic’s and government’s intent to achieve justice for hundreds of thousands innocent victims of communist crimes to anti-Semitism?
Truly awful days for the Croatian government that needs to ride out the storm of communist wrath, however that wrath may be inhuman, and move ahead into the future where justice means the same for all. Wishing minister Zlatko Hasanbegovic a most fruitful career as minister in Croatia’s government that must show leadership in resisting and shrugging off false allegations for what they truly are: garbage. Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)
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It’s no different here. Those whose minds are set on politics alone freely accuse their political enemies fully knowing that, whether true or not, the doubt they create damages the trustworthy. Thanks for post!
Yes, such a tragedy for humanity and peace, PrayThroughHistory
On the short front. The Serbs can kiss ass, Croatia has every right to upgrade it’s military equipment. No one and I repeat NO one outside of the Croatian people has a right to dictate who or what Croatia does as far as it’s internal political issue are concerned. Anyone who wants to accuse or thinks they can shame Croatia because of it’s past / present history into submission is wrong. ( we are not as weak as the Germans ) When those who have done so much to destroy us as a people and a country apologizes then maybe we can begin to say yes perhaps we were wrong if it is the truth. The last country or people we will ever apologize to is Israel who violated the arms embargo during the homeland war to supply arms to the Serbs that killed our people. We will not be ashamed or embarrassed by their pure manipulation of history, After all it would seem Israel and their goverment has committed more atrocities in the world through distribution of weapons and genocide then Hitler has ever done. I have no shame in being a PROUD CROAT and for the life and struggles of my ancestors and owe no one an apology. The communist and the local liberal press who think they can manipulate the people through propaganda will not win this war with their filthy bullshit that is being printed. WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE you just haven’t met us yet.
And the hair-raising thing, the awful thing in all this, Michael, is that a Serb journalist went about last week digging some early-1990’s photos of Hasanbegovic allegedly wearing an Ustashe hat (which proved to be wrong) and that same Serb journalist failed to say: heck, with all the slaughter by the Serbs going on in 1990/91 any hat would have been a blessing that would have defended innocent lives from Serb and Yugoslav army; besides anybody who has not condemned the rehabilitation by Serbia of WWII war criminal Chetnik Draza Mihajlovic and has the audacity to throw lies at honest Croatian persons can say nothing I would take as credible. It’s just irritating to have to see all that as well
They journalists can say / do all they want. The truth is that there was nothing wrong with Ustashe during the time as they were fighting for independence for our people and country. There is nothing to be ashamed of as Croats because of our past and our rights to be free as a people. The truth that many fail to see is that even though Hitler went a bit to far in his ideology he was on the right path of perseverance of ones identity and culture.Had he not went to the extreme he would have been hailed as a visionary. The proof is what we see today in immigration and integration that it doesn’t work. Sadly today we have others who want to shame those who want to persevere in their culture and ideas as bigots but they are the ones running away from their own ideas of freedoms.
Any good work or ideas Hitler may have had pale into insignificance Michael when compared to the Holocaust, I for one believe that and when you have the Holocaust or communist crimes of extermination it’s hard to see any good with the regimes at all.
I suspect your words will have little effect because those who make mistakes in the press rarely admit to them and attempt to correct them. That’s a shame as it would show them to be respectable journalists.
This kind of vitriol you expect from political opponents who don’t care about facts rather than papers who should be doing research to make sure their facts are correct.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
True David, and I do find that many today’s journalists are actually politicians – long gone are the days when we could trust journalist’s political independence 🙁 Still we battle on and with that knowledge it may just get easier around the corner 🙂
All the existing ideas for proposals of solutions to the conflict assume that the Israeli-Arab conflict is fundamentally a conflict between human beings. That seemed also to be the assumption at the basis of the Israeli viewpoint that “there is no partner.” Now it turns out that anyone who thought Israel’s claim is that Abu Mazen doesn’t want to sign an agreement, or that Yasser Arafat before him didn’t really want to, has missed the deeper significance of the Israeli perspective – it’s becoming clear that what they are actually saying is that there is no partner in principle. That is, no more than that a wild animal could be called a partner. …Carolina Landsmann …Haaretz Israel
Oh dear – and these people hang around those who persecute Croatia’s minister Hasanbegovic using lies spread by others or themselves no less.
Chin up Croatia – you’re doing so well, with lustration of communist thugs growing Eastern Europe you will succeed in justice
Very astute, Hannover Belle
“To selectively use some completely peripheral statements taken out of context and given more than 20 years ago, during my student period, represents political manipulation. As a scientist and a historian, I have made my name in the public life, my works have undergone scientific verification. In fact, I think that my ministerial term must be judged by my work, and not by selective manipulation of facts from the distant past. My conscience is clean, in human, moral and political terms. I am ready to explain all other details to all those interested at any time, in a quiet atmosphere and in the intellectual debate, but not in an atmosphere of lynching and public prosecution, which in my case includes even elements of madness”, said Hasanbegović who did not want to answer any questions. https://www.total-croatia-news.com/politics/2449-croatian-culture-minister-hasanbegovic-responds-to-latest-controversy
What a great addition to my article, Bastion – thank you
Only to say, Dear Ina,
how dirty some politicians play.
You take the best care
Big hugs
john
Thank you John – acknowledgement is generally a good part of making the future better and the present clear 🙂
Boris Divjak of Adriatic is also on the board of Transparency International which is a Soros funded NGO. Grubisic was with the US Department of Defense. Mercatus Center and George Mason University tied up with the Koch Bros = International Leadership Advisory Board… Hodge Podge who perhaps want to create a Croatia like Ukraine regime selling off assets to private interests for control of the most valuable parts of the country…
Indeed Helena the stench of Soros funded endeavours is quite strong with Adriatic Institute and you reason well thank you
The Adriatic Institute has hardley any Croats, except for a bunch of naive folks who were mesmerized by the anti-corruption talk of “The Iron Lady of Croatia” (I hope that the author of that label from the Washington Times realizes what a horse he was backing now).
The Adriatic Institute is a State Department front. Period.
Their mouths were and are full of “transparency” yet when, years ago when they began trolling Facebook for Natasha’s comical Presidential bid cca 2010-2012, they didn’t release their financial records / backers.
Some of us who commented on their FB page and asked simple questions like: why do you preach transparency yet do not make your own financial records *transparent*, why did Boris Divjak write in his thesis that Oluja was “ethnic cleansing,” that, by the way, according to him, apparently came out of now where; how Keynsian economics would benefit Croatia; how / why someone – Boris Divjak – who worked for an “RS” ministry (despite being born in Zagreb) was in a high position at the alleged / ostensibly “Croatian” Adriatic Institute; and why did the “Croatian Iron Lady” lambast Tudman and HDZ as a general practice yet never criticize SDP, and other questions, were subject to harressment by them.
I am stating as a matter of FACT that they tracked down one of us via FB access because of being a member / friend of the Croatians of North America page, and called her work and accused HER of harrassment.
They were full of rhetoric about their connections to the highest halls of power in the US. No sh*t I thought. CNA on FB failed because they proved to be frauds, who were untransparent while preaching transparency, and are just another Soros – State Department agitprop front whose purpose was to appeal to fiscal conservatives in the Croatian Diaspora and split the already miserable in numeric terms, Croatia Diaspora vote.
Their whole purpose is to be a “Croatian” organization that is against anything / anyone that is actually for Croatia.
Natasha / Sammy, you people are really freaks. Stop pretending to be “Croatian” Natasha, you Yugoslav fraud.
It would be very interesting to find out who lives in the houses and villas in Croatia that once belonged to Jews.
You will find Unimatrix only former communists or their children or grandchildren living in those – thieves on many fronts indeed
Hasanbegovic stay strong. The truth only wins when brave people like you have the moral fortitude and strength of character to battle lies, fraud and deceit to the end. There are more people behind you giving you support, prayers and patriotic love than in front of you obstructing your path to the truth. Stay strong, be brave, be righteous.
Hello Ina and fellow Croat bloggers, a good friend of mine sent me an excellent article that I think you should read – see link below. It is very clear and straight forward.
http://nacija.hr/2016/02/13/ruse-li-antifasisti-i-dalje-samostalnu-hrvatsku/
Good one Sunman, Thank you and the so-called antifascists will never cease trying to undo the independence and freedom gained through blood in 1990’s – their alternative is to accept wrongdoing – simply said – and not many greats like that walk among them
Mr. Hasanbegovic is being pilloried on all sides – the Jews, the Serbs, the Yugos,(antifascists, partisans, communists or whatever they are calling themselves these days ) and by any and all whom these groups can persuade to join their cause. The obvious irony is that none of the aforementioned Hasanbegovic detractors are qualified morally or ethically to justifiably ‘cast the first stone’! They each have their own agendas and apparently farthest from any of them is a sincere interest in seeking truth and justice for ALL victims. Should justice be sought only for the Jews, only for the Serbs, only to a particular segment of a country’s population based on political ideology, religion, ethnicity? Most right-thinking people would say no. And while we are on this point – the times of the Ustase are over and have been since Nezavisna Hrvatska’s defeat in 1945 at the hands of the Partisan Communists; in contrast, the days of the Partisans have continued since the inception of their movement to present day – 75 years. Generations of Croatian youth have been deliberately educated and indoctrinated by the communist propaganda machinery to believe that Ustase were evil incarnate and that they (the Partisans) were the people’s saviors – while the evidence clearly points otherwise. Over 1200 mass graves dotting the map of the former Yugoslavian state I believe is evidence enough. Even President Grabar-Kitarovic stated, and I am paraphrasing, that her nono and nona were antifascists – but according to her, ‘good’ antifascists – does it not follow then that others could be justifiably proud of their loved ones who were Ustase? Why are all Ustase being persecuted as a group and not individually, as she says should be the case when discussing ‘antifascists’? It appears that even when discussing Bleiburg and the death marches after the war that all efforts are made to emphasize the civilian/ non-combatant ergo ” innocent victims” and Ustase, those who fought for THEIR country and THEIR people and were summarily executed without benefit of a trial are yet again being vilified – but now by subsequent Croatian govt.s of the last 25 years. Are they not worthy of justice? Is it so incomprehensible that they too should be included among the hundreds of thousands of “innocent “victims who died at the hands of Yugoslavia’s “saviors”? Is not a victim a victim?
Those that win wars are in the position to write history and it is their vested interest to do so. They must justify their actions and the loss of life incurred and so they seek to position themselves on the moral high ground. Those that are the unfortunate losers are not granted the same possibilities. Those who are seeking the truth about the veracity of the history they have been taught or who voice even the slightest doubts are quickly blocked, blacklisted and labelled as revisionists. Was Benjamin Netanyahu a revisionist when he claimed that Hitler wanted only to expel the Jews from Europe but the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem advised Hitler to “burn the Jews” as the better alternative? It is certainly in his political interest to fabricate this little gem in order to shore up his contention that apparently Israel is surrounded by “wild beasts” – but where are those same finger-pointing history watchdogs that have been howling at Hasanbegovic’s door now?
It takes political will and moral strength to revisit events of the past objectively to investigate where the truth abides but it is work that must be done in order for us as a nation to move forward and to free ourselves truly from our collective past.
Za Dom Spremni!
Oh yes, Velebit- truth will out and we need to help it along. Thank you for your comprehensive comment
Buna dimineata Ina !
Felicitari pentru articolul pertinent si curajos ! 🙂
” In vremuri ale inselatoriei universale a spune adevarul este un act revolutionar ” ( George Orwell) ! 🙂
Pentru ca mereu a spus adevarul despre coruptia din Romania, postul de televiziune ANTENA 3 este sanctionat de autoritatea fiscala a statului ……………….!!! 🙁 🙁 🙁
O zi minunata ! 🙂
Cu respect,
Aliosa.
Translation of Alios’a comment from Romanian: Ina Good morning!
Congratulations to the relevant and brave article!
“In times of universal deception telling the truth is a revolutionary act” (George Orwell)!
Because always told the truth about corruption in Romania, Antena 3 is sanctioned by the fiscal authority of the state ….
A wonderful day !
REPLY: Thank you Aliosa, of course such matters of oppression of truth are well known in your country as a former communist regime – hence similar paths as Croatia when it comes to trying the truth out – Antena 3 TV in Romania then is getting similar treatment to a number of journalists and TV shows in Croatia … without courage not much will happen by way of progress. Cheers 🙂
“Wild Beasts”. That is totally unacceptable!
It enrages me Micheline to see that people can call other fellow human beings that, not acceptable indeed
I couldn’t believe. The arrogance.
Me neither, Micheline 🙁
“Humanist” Zuroff shows his fascistic, anti-Muslim hate – and ignorance considering Srebrenica was ruled GENOCIDE in court: http://voiceofserbia.org/content/zuroff-there-was-no-genocide-srebrenica
And to think such a man leads an organisation for justice for victims! Thank you therealamericro
Hey, Ina. I am half Croatian and half Italian and I love your site. I just wanted to apprise you that some lowlife is attacking Croats and mentioning you by name. I caught it at this website:
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
Thank you Frank. As you can see I erased the link you put in your comment as I am not about to help promote hate and rubbish and insults not just against me but also others. Much of similar garbage is simply deleted – I have been prepared for such attacks – one needs to be in order to present the truth especially about communists committing crimes and Serb attacking Croatia in 1990’s.
Added it here Ina really nice post Ian “Israel’s Wild Beasts” And Political Persecution Of Croatia’s Minister Zlatk o Hasanbegovic | Ace News Room
https://acenewsroom.wordpress.com/2016/03/03/israels-wild-beasts-and-political-persecution-of-croatias-minister-zlatk-o-hasanbegovic/