Croatia’s former president, that politically communist leprosy, Stjepan Mesic is finally it seems getting some just deserts. Slowly but surely his public presence of political authority seems finally destined to die a death of starvation. Disappear. His communist colleagues in power had some years ago secured that he has and maintaines the office of former president for life!

So, for this year’s budget Mesic’s office was to be provided 777,000 kuna/similar amount every year. That is almost 12 years average salaries in the country where most ordinary worker earn much less and pensioners even less. After the release of the draft budget last week, Bridge coalition headed by Bozo Petrov (deputy-rime Minister) announced an amendment to the effect that it would reduce the amount provided to Mesic’s office by 600,000 and redirect that money to the needs of civilian invalids of the Homeland War.
And, indeed, on Monday 21 March new Croatian government budget containing the above amendment for cutting the funds to the former president’s office was passed in parliament with a majority of votes. Most Social Democrat/communist opposition voted against without a hope of succeeding. Mesic is on his way out of public life as propped by taxpayer money.
What a great gesture! Hoorah!

One more communist vein funded by the government – down!
Such a hefty cut to government finance practically means that the running of Mesic’s office as former President is severely disabled and incapacitated.
Celebrating this denial or withdrawal of funds for Stjepan Mesic’s office of Former President has roots in many underhanded, rotten and treasonous activities pinned to him. His arrival in 2000 as president of Croatia after Franjo Tudjman’s death marked the end of unity among the Homeland War veterans, unity with diaspora, end of free expressions of patriotism and national identity… Mesic had resumed with moves to criminalise Croatia’s Homeland War and throw mud and lies against Franjo Tudjman and other leaders who fought for secession from communism. Mesic continued to be an embarrassment. He sent dozens upon dozens of Homeland War generals into forced retirement – the process of destruction of the Croatian military-defense structure had commenced. He opened classified presidential archives after Tudjman’s death to British journalists and secret services, on purpose omitted parts of archives that would indicate any proper procedures undertaken in war by the Croatian defense forces and leaders, went to the Hague International Crimes Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia to give secret testimony against Croatia (which thus sadly went unchallenged by the Croatian professionals, officials or people in many parts); he sowed fear with his lies and innuendoes of crimes among the veteran population to the point when veterans were no longer certain of their freedom or existence. He, Mesic, knew how to divide and conquer – hence ten years at the helm as president.

His evil aim was to detudjmanise Croatia, kill every idea of the defensive Homeland War and proceed with the destruction of independent and democratic Croatia envisioned by Franjo Tudjman and supported by majority.
” It’s a futile attempt to fight against my beliefs, primarily against the firm commitment to anti-fascism, by practically abolishing my office,” Mesic said last week when the amendment to cut the government funding for his Office of Former President was announced. “For neither the parliament nor the government can abolish me. While I live, I will consider it our duty to work for the benefit of the country, which I had the honor of serving as president for ten years,” Mesic stressed that his office will not close! Why would taxpayer money go on funding him and his office when its work is against Croatian independence and democracy for which thousands lost their lives and glorifies communist (which he calls antifascist but has nothing to do with antifascism)!
Mesic’s reaction to the passing of the budget in parliament on Monday 21 March was: “It should be clear to everyone that the office of former president is not in question here … I am in question. That is a reckoning with me. I have never spent any big millions nor will taking away my right to use the Office save millions. My office costs around 800,000 kuna per year. Whatever these people do, whether it is the HDZ leadership, which undoubtedly stands behind this, or ‘protruding players’ like Bridge coalition and Party of Rights, they will not shut me up.”

The whole point of lustration, getting rid of highly positioned people in communist Yugoslavia from high positions in democratic Croatia, is a key element in succeeding with democracy and economic progress. Stepan Mesic may be adamant to keep on doing what he is doing outside of the state funded office but that is an entirely different kettle of fish. The international players or leaders will know he is not supported by the government and will hopefully cease wanting to deal with him on political and business issues important to state.

So, this is one of the best news I have heard for months coming out of Croatia. Finally Croatia’s leadership has stepped up to the mark and publicly declared, where it counts – in the public purse of taxpayer money – that it will no longer pay for Mesic’s work as it serves no positive value for Croatia’s democracy and economic progress etc. This step has the hallmarks of lustration even though the Office of Former President is not in the strict sense an office of public service. Those hallmarks are in the shedding of communist damaging effects from where it counts in Croatia as Stjepan Mesic together with a well state-funded office did leave domestic and international impressions of power closely tied to governmental power.

Prime Minister Tihomir Oreskovic thanked members of Parliament and his team of ministers for passing the budget on Monday. He expressed trust in the new budget and hopes it will be a solid foundation upon which to build a solid future for Croatia.
Good for you – Croatia! Get rid from public influence of that political rot and communist current like the former president Stjepan Mesic. Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb); B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)