One doesn’t need to think too hard to clearly formulate an answer to the question: what does it say about Serbian society when a convicted war criminal, Vojislav Seselj (and others) is not made an outcast from the country’s political power corridors but is actually helped and promoted to pursue the evil and the hatred that had rather recently resulted in crimes against humanity! It’s a given that the boundaries of tolerance change through history – as do the methods – ostensibly for progress away from mind-numbing fear and violence. The political violence against sovereign Croatia (sovereignty won and defended amidst the 1990’s brutal Serb aggression) pursued relentlessly by Serbia must not remain unchallenged. Enough is enough.
The political violence is, after all, in the ontology and unbridled spreading of fear in Greater Serbia politics.
With this, there is simply no ground for mutually respectful conversation or reconciliation between Croatia (and Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Serbia. Serbian violent politics must be defeated before any lasting reconciliation could be achieved.
Firstly, at the beginning of April when a Croatian delegation lead by the Speaker of Croatian Parliament, Gordan Jandrokovic, entered Serbia’s Parliament they were met with a tirade of abuse and insults uttered by no other than the convicted war criminal Vojislav Seselj, who despite his war crimes conviction continues to enjoy parliamentary privilege in Serbia as well as continuing at the helm of the ultra-nationalist Serbian Radical Party. Seselj shouted insults, hatred against Croatian people and abuse at the Croatian official delegation and trampled on a Croatian flag. As any decent being the Croatian delegation turned around and left Serbia to return to Croatia forthwith. But, while Croatian politicians stood their ground in condemning the incident apart from a few criticisms from a few Serbian politicians and the EU of Seselj’s behaviour nothing of substance ensued that would give the world the justified hope that the politically violent maniac Seselj would be removed from the parliament, or his political party – and at least some semblance of neighbourly respect be achieved!
Then came last weekend when Serbia’s defence minister Aleksandar Vulin was all set and sharpened to visit Croatia near Jasenovac to attend a memorial service for victims of WWII. Given the insults and inflammatory anti-Croat bellicose rhetoric Vulin had uttered before at similar memorials and generally in Croatia, and given Seselj’s unsanctioned insults only days before, Croatia refused permission to Vulin to attend the memorial. Vulin response to that was that Serbia’s President and relevant Government Minister are the only ones, not Croatian, who could refuse his entry into Croatia! He blatantly disrespects and disregards Croatia’s sovereignty. Consequently Croatian authorities declared Vulin as persona non grata, not welcome in Croatia.
Instead of dealing with the problem both Seselj and Vulin had created in relations between Croatia and Serbia, on Thursday 26 April Serbia entered into a tit-for-tat response and banned Croatia’s defence minister Damir Krsticevic from Serbia! As part of Serb denial of crimes committed in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina during 1990’s Vulin and other Serbian leaders keep on falsely accusing Croatia of nationalism and neo-fascism; they keep on falsifying the numbers of Serb victims in WWII on Croatia’s territory. This strategically destructive tactic, filled with deception, also serves Serbia “well” in avoiding the acknowledgement of its own WWII history against the Jews and its “Jew-free” status (May 1942), created through extermination of its Jewish population aided and facilitated by the then Prime Minister Milan Nedic.
Many in Croatia see Vulin’s comments and rhetoric as a bid by Belgrade to distract from the behaviour of Serbian ultranationalist leader Vojislav Seselj who trampled on and tried to rip up the Croatian flag and hurled insults at officials visiting from Croatia. The fact that Seselj, among other insults, yelled at the Croatian delegation in Serbia’s parliament calling them Ustashas presents the world not only with the ugly face of irony (as the persons in Croatia’s delegation have no family or personal affiliation with WWII Ustasha movement that fought for Croatia’s independence [from Serb-led Kingdom of Yugoslavia]) but it drives home the ugly and unwanted truth that Serbia’s leadership is much about violent hatred for and vilification of the Croatian nation.
According to Croatian media, some members of the country’s government want its ambassador to be recalled from Belgrade and for it to block Serbia’s membership talks with the European Union. Likewise the opinion prevails in Croatia that talks between Croatia and Serbia should be frozen until Belgrade stops advancing a ‘Greater Serbia’ policy towards Croatia and ejects convicted war criminal Vojislav Seselj from its parliament. Hear hear! Ina Vukic
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What’s most bothersome isn’t that Seselj burned the Croatian flag or hurled insults at the Croatian delegation, what is most bothersome was that Seselj threatened what’s left of the Croatian community that is living in Serbia. In the past few years, Croatian priests have been attacked in their residences as have other Croatians, especially those who are active in the Croatian community there What’s worse, no one was punished for those action and the few that were got what amounts to a slap on the wrist and none of our Croatian politicians have done anything about this just like they haven’t done anything about what is happening to the Croatian diaspora in Bosna.
But there is another problem in all of this, the Serbian politicians are representing the people that elected them and one just has to look who is in power there and which parties hold the most seats in their sabor. You have Nikolic as President, who is a war criminal who was in Ovcara and Vukovar committing atrocities against non-Serb civilians. You have Vucic , the Prime Minister, who was a follower of Seselj during the war who openly said that Glina and the surrounding areas will never be Croatian territory and you have Seselj who is a war criminal. The political parties of all three hold the most seats in their parliament which tells me that the people of Serbia agree with their politics and their rhetoric.
Stevie, Vucic is now President of Serbiaand Ana Brnabic the Prime Minister. Vucic, Nikolic, Seselj…all the same rotten lot!
Thank you for the correction, Ina. The issue is still the same though, these are all people who were elected into office by the Serbian people or whose party had the most seats in their parliament. That says all you need to know about who these people are and who elected them and that is they will never give up their dream of a Greater Serbia. But, as I had mentioned, what they do in their own country is up to them but the fact that the Croatia minority there has no voice and is threatened on a daily basis is what we should be most worried about.
The other issue is this, why was a war criminal like Seselj released in the first place? The excuse given by the Haag is that he was sick and would most likely die within months after release and yet, this “sick” person remains fairly healthy years after his release. What bothers me most is how the Croatian President invited vucic to Croatia and gave him a red carpet treatment and from what it looked like she did it on her own without consulting the Sabor. As long as Vucic continues to talk and threaten the way he does, there was no reason to invite him to Croatia.
Of course the issue is the same, Stevie – well said – they all come from the same bunch of violent Greater Serbia lot. Yup, Seselj’s reported terminal illness was not terminal. Mind boggles if HAGUE didn’t seek further or alternative and independent medical opinion. A whole lot of garbage devised to pull wool over people’s eyes but thankfully most people have 22/20 vision.
What can l say?, A nation of War mongers and murderers. nothing good can come of any relations with this scum. the best thing we can do is get President Trump’s blue prints for his wall and build it on our borders with these scum…
A serious stand-off is certainly indicated Branko
Hello, After 20 years we are only now beginning to take seriously Serbia’s insincerity, deception destabilization of Croatia. I said it before, I will say it again, built a wall. Croatia grow a backbone when dealing with Serbia. But I fear Serbia will make some conciliatory noise and Croatia will again be their punching bag for future threats, defamation and disrespect. And oh, wait their version of the ‘truth’ will always be at the forefront of their politics to the detriment of Croatia and the truth itself. At what point do Croatian politicians wake up. At what point do the Croatian people wake. If we can’t respect ourselves, how can we expect others to respect us. I have to hand it to the Serbs, they protect their interests vigorously. Croatia not so much.
I keep asking myself and others the same question Sunman: when is enough – enough! The aggression whether verbal or physical that’s been coming from Serbia against Croatia and Croats is a terror that must stop one way or another. And I do agree with you, there’s not much chance that Serbs will abandon Greater Serbia pursuits for the sake of peaceful and respectful demeanour towards Croatia
It’s disappointing that no reply from the Cro government on Dacic’s (Serbian FM) comments that Serbia is different from Cro that unlike Croatia it never sided with Hitler. What a farce. And what an embarrassment Croatia did not sharply reply – there is so much we could have said:
– Serbia was proud to proclaim that it was the1st Juden free state
– Serbian Chetniks were aligned with Nazis – albeit they changed their alliances like they changed their underwear
– If Croatia was aligned with Hitler, so was half the world. Does this mean the sins of the past will haunt relationships Serbia has with Italy, Germany, Japan etc.?
– Isn’t Greater Serbian ideology fascist akin to Hitler by wanting to create an ethnically pure Serbian state wherever Serbs live – sounds very much like Hitler
– Croatian independence never excluded serbs or other minorities in its creation and in fact wrote them into Constitutional rights.
Let get our history right and out of the lies of communism once and for all!
Your sentiments are shared far and wide Sunman. But aren’t we fortunate that in today’s Croatian parliament session Member for the Croatian Diaspora, General Zeljko Glasnovic, gave a reply. [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_WrShSl0sQ&w=560&h=315%5D
Glasnovic is the best! We need more people like him. We also need to capture world headlines better to influence public opinion and shape decision makers opinions. For example, do a simple Google News search for Croatia and Serbia and see how well Serbia knows how to manage publics relations, get world media headlines and articles in Serbia’s favour or at least acknowledge their point of view – see headlines below:
-Serbian Foreign Minister: Unlike Croatia, We Never Sided with Hitler
-Ivica Dacic: We are not the same as Croatia – Serbia was not on Hitler’s side
– Serb victims of Croatian attack remembered in Belgrade
One must wonder Sunman, how much background fudging of Google systems and preferences (?paid for) may be involved for news etc on Croatia to spit out Serbian news. Have noticed the same thing and it’s unnerving to say the least
Hi Ina, Regarding media and PR, Croatia’s performance is dismal. It seems that Cro government lacks media savvy and sophistication. Take for example the border dispute with Slovenia. Statements to the media by Slovenia always include references to Croatia not abiding by the Arbitration Court decision, and how they are contravening European law; in essence painting a picture that Croatian is untrustworthy and its behavior is unlawful, criminal and even rogue. By contrast Croatian media statements almost always leave out why they left the arbitration process and fail to correctly “blame” Slovenia for corrupting the process; what self respecting state would accept a decision under the circumstances? They always leave out that Slovenia cheated and compromised the process leaving Croatia no other choice but to leave the court process. Croatia mostly keeps harping on trying to find a solution in a bi-lateral manner. Again, its silence and lack of identifying the malicious behaviour of Slovenia implicates Croatia as not playing by the rules; which is furtherest from the truth; it was Slovenia that was not playing by rules. By failing to reinforce the blame and cause directly and repeatedly Croatia becomes the villain because someone else now owns the narrative. This is how the winner becomes a loser.
Totally agree, Sunman. Croatia should rub it in, the Slovenian corrupt behaviour in the process.
Thanks Ina!!! Puno hvala na informacije!!
So welcome Veronika and greetings!
Veronika Cvitkovic-Frkovic iz daleke Argentine!!!!
<3 <3
When evil people are in power, many people suffer. The evil people are ruthless. That is why they easily fight and kill to get to power. The good people must band together and muster courage to bar the evil people from having their way.
So true!
The “crown” and communism are brothers and sisters .
When Jugoslavia expired all the connected came here to Oz and were promoted to many opportunities .
Even in Croatia today the beurocracy is led by the children of communist party members . Until they are purged , Croatia will have a hard time within and without .
Lustration – NOW! Ante.
Seselj is offensive, yes. But, something my Tata told me- who is an Ustasa at heart, because my grandafather was, and who knows so much Croatian history, and has met famous Croatian historical figures-calmed me down. My dad said, he’s crazy, out of his mind, don’t give him too much attention. And as always, my Dad is right. My house in Zagreb would practically house the border police according to Seselj’s map of greater serbia. Helen Keller would “see” this man’s ludicrous ideas. He has MOST of the Croatian islands as serbia!???????? How is that even possible? It’s not! Dalmatia was never Serbia, not since the day Adam and Eve got thrown out of Eden! You can’t give him any credit, because what he’s doing is surpassing lying, he’s created a fantasy world. He’s better off sitting at home and playing one of these fantasy world games. I believe he won’t ever get a legit voice besides the morning programs he’s on in serbia. No one else is really giving him the time. He’s living off the people he’s feeding this B.S. to. Understand that he is crazy, and won’t stop. But be comforted knowing that everyone, including people in Serbia, know that this guy’s out of his mind.
Yes, hrvatica43, I agree Seselj should not be afforded any attention but forgotten. However, when faced with the situation that others, tied to Serb propaganda especially, give him attention it is essential to set the truth right otherwise lies win. We can’t have that I think
Unfortunately, while Seselj is crazy, the majority of people in Serbia believe in his fantasy world of a greater Serbia, in their minds the Croatians are nothing more than “Catholic Serbs.” Just look at the people the Serbs elect into office and those that are in the Serbian government all dreamers of a Greater Serbian State, heck look at Pupovac in the Croatian Sabor as well as Stanimirovic (who is a war criminal). On top of that look at the most recent news that was out, the Canadian National team goalkeeper in Soccer and he also plays for Crvena Zvezda in Beograd was born in Knin. He corrected a reporter who said he was born in Croatia and told him he was not born in Croatia rather he was born in Serbian Dalmatia. There will never be peace as long as the Serbs continue to have this dream of the greater Serbia.
Simply awful Stevie, but a hope to overpower all that once and for all hovers with the brave ones in Croatia fighting this mentality
It never fails to surprise me how differently humans respond to tragedy. Rwanda and Croatia cannot be compared when it comes to statistics of genocide, yet Rwanda is the clear winner when it comes to rebuilding and advancing a country. Croatia has a lot to learn and the first thing it could learn is that continual negativity and living in the past is holding it back.
To live a future, the past must be truthfully and decisively reconciled. This is proving to be a most difficult task as politics play the field.