Few days ahead of Parliamentary elections in Croatia due on 16^th and 17^th April 2024 the Croatian Veterans’ Portal has published an interview with the leader of OiP Party (Determination and Justice) for which many say represents the determination and knowledge to reel in essential changes for Croatia, in rooting out corruption and overhauling the corrupt judiciary, which hold Croatian democracy and rule of law captive. While the powers that be in Croatia have severely, for citizens living in the diaspora undercut voters’ right to suffrage to the point of brutality, one does hope there will be many turning up at the polling booths despite the discrimination. Polling booths only held in diplomatic and consular centres and on a working day (not weekend as during past 25 years) pose and enormous barrier in exercising ones constitutional and human right of suffrage. Be that as it may, we continue fighting the discrimination and for now the best way of doing it is by making an effort to place a vote.

Here is the interview with Karolina Vidovic Kristo, Member of Croatian Parliament,  translated by Ina Vukic into English:  

During the past four years in Parliament, Karolina Vidović Krišto has built a reputation of a determined and courageous politician. Born in Vukovar, but raised in Munich, Karolina returned to Croatia in 1996 independently and without her family, where she studied journalism and began her career as a journalist. Karolina is also the mother of four children. Despite numerous challenges, especially in the relationship with her former employer HRT (Croatian Television), with whom she had several conflicts, she always remained steadfast. Due to her fearlessness and commitment to her beliefs and exposing corruption, Karolina stands out as an example of a true leader and politician who certainly has the potential to become a leader and an authentic representative of the people. Her speeches in Parliament are some of the most viewed on social media networks. This is particularly significant because Karolina, despite her being banned or ignored by the traditional media, managed to attract the attention and support of the general public. She firmly believes that Croatia can achieve exceptional success only if it organises itself as a country where all citizens must obey the laws. She believes that this is the key to success in building a stable society in which every citizen will have an equal opportunity.

Respected MP, the HDZ Government led by Andrej Plenkovic and his deputy, minister Tom Medved, claims that they have full understanding for the Croatian war veterans and that they have restored their dignity. How do you view this statement?

The only thing that Andrej Plenkovic does effectively is manipulating the public. Such obvious manipulation would be a punishable offense in other EU member states, since using taxpayers’ money to pay the media to cover up facts and publish lies is actually a form of stealing taxpayers’ money. For example, the Austrian chancellor Kurz had to resign due to practices similar to those carried out by Plenkovic, and he was already convicted of lying, and he is currently being tried for even more serious crimes.

The attitude towards Croatian veterans, from Prime Ministers [since year 2000] Ivica Racan, Ivo Sanader, Jadranka Kosor, Zoran Milanovic to Andrej Plenkovic, is characterised by systematic humiliation and social isolation of the most honourable part of the nation, namely our veterans. Croatian veterans are often exposed to vilification and stigmatisation and are often declared a burden on society.

In Israel, no one holds a major position in the economy or politics if he has not served in the Israeli army, while in Croatia the opposite is the case. Neither Plenkovic, nor Milanovic, nor Gordan Jandrokovic responded to [defend] the Homeland when it was most difficult and when they were most needed.

The best representation of the situation in Croatia is the fact that the commander of the defence of the city of Osijek, Branimir Glavas, has been dragged through the courts for 20 years, while at the same time Mile Horvat, known as “the gunner” because of his participation in the bombing of Osijek as a member of Serbian terrorist units, holds the position of State Secretary in the Ministry of Economy in Plenkovic’s government. Such a situation, of course, does not exist in any other organised European country. It is anti-natural, anti-civilisational, anti-European and, of course, anti-Croatian.

But Plenkovic will tell you in response to your statements: “In my government there is Tomo Medved, who is a war hero, or, for example, Ivan Anusic, who was a minor participant in the Homeland War, or, for example, Josip Đakic, who was on the battlefields all over Croatia.”

Everyone who participated in the defence of Croatia deserves our deep respect, which must never be forgotten. However, no merit can be a justification for acting against the interests of one’s own people and the country for which he fought. Namely, anyone who participates in blocking state institutions, in corruption or protects corruption, must be aware that they are working against Croatia.

And then the media, financed by Plenkovic, because they are so unprofessional that they cannot survive on their work, such as Jutarnji list, publish slanderous articles claiming that Croatian taxpayers should assume financial obligations from convicted war criminals. In particular, Indeks and Jutarnji list mention Mihajlo Hrastov [1991 Croatian Special police officer], who defended Karlovac [from Serb-led Yugoslav Army attacks], but was convicted by a corrupt judiciary, and the conviction delivered by controversial judges served as the basis for awarding compensation of 11 million kuna to the families of the fallen aggressor soldiers. It is important to note that these funds are paid to people living in Serbia, which means that the money of Croatian citizens goes outside the country. How much compensation did Poland, France or England pay to the German aggressors? Not a single euro, on the contrary, Germany paid compensation to the mentioned countries. I ask the question, would Mihajlo Hrastov be tried in Israel, America, or Ukraine, or would society there declare him a national hero?

General Josip Lucic is also on the HDZ list, how do you comment on that?

General Lucic will be able to speak with pride about his contribution to the liberation of Croatia, but I believe he will be deeply ashamed that he gave his name to HDZ Party, the party that created Croatia under the leadership of Franja Tudjman, while today, under the leadership of Andrej Plenkovic, that same party is destroying Croatia, which was created with blood. Croatian veterans approach me with tears in their eyes and say: “Give me [bring] back my children from Ireland and Germany”, because it was corruption and injustice that drove the children of Croatian veterans from Croatia, which they created with blood, sweat and tears.

General Lucic lent his name to a policy that pays pensions, such as those paid to Mile Martic, a [Serbian] convicted war criminal. The question arises why Croatia did not file a property claim against Mile Martic because of the damage he caused by bombing Croatian cities? On the contrary, Plenkovic’s government enabled Mile Martic’s son, Dusko, to manage television stations in Croatia, including N1 television and Nova TV. While the children of [Croatian] war veterans have to go to a foreign country to earn a living, Mile Martic’s son, therefore the legal heir [to his father], manages the media in Croatia! This is therefore the policy that General Lucic serves.

Why do you keep pointing out the problems in the judiciary?

The question of a functional judiciary is a question of success or failure of a state and its people. When the judiciary does not function properly, as is currently the case in Croatia, everything is allowed to the powerful, while nothing is possible for the common man or woman.

If Andrej Plenkovic, Zoran Milanovic or Gordan Jandrokovic were politicians in Austria, they would be in prison, because I remind you that the Austrian chancellor had to resign precisely because of actions similar to what Plenkovic is doing, corrupting the media and blocking the judiciary. But in Austria, where the laws are respected and the judiciary does its job, salaries are three times higher than in Croatia, where the laws are not respected. Let’s take the example of the case of Milorad Pupovac [leader of Independent Serbian Democratic Party/SDSS in Croatia by close bloodline and political platform associated with rebel Serbs in Croatia who were part of the aggressors in the Croatian Homeland War]. I personally reported him to the DORH [State Attorney Office of Croatia] for the criminal offense of genocide denial. Pupovac participated in a meeting in Banja Luka where the genocide in Srebrenica was denied. Pupovac did not mind at all that he stood by General Pandurevic, who was convicted of genocide in Srebrenica, despite the condemnation of that rally by the European Commission. According to Croatian laws, as well as according to the decision of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, that denial of genocide is a criminal offense. So, if Croatia functioned like the Czech Republic, Poland or Slovenia, Pupovac would be in prison.

Why did you refuse to form a coalition with related parties?

A coalition with those you refer to as related parties would be a betrayal of Croatia’s future and all disenfranchised people in Croatia. Determination and Justice party (OIP), which we founded, is completely different from existing political options. Just look at the current campaign – we are bombarded every day with some polls that are clearly fake.

Political parties behave like today’s so-called influencers, talking about everything except the real problems faced by Croatian citizens. All, but absolutely all, political parties have access to the mainstream media for confrontations and debates, either organised by big media, or in the organisation of NGOs and political initiatives or parties such as GONG. MOST, DP, Mislav Kolakusic and Fokus, and even the minority SDSS are invited, only we from OIP are not invited. The concept is completely clear: in Croatian politics, one must not talk about the real problems people face, but only in the way determined by the powerful. According to these same powerful people, Croatian citizens have no right to live in an orderly state where laws are respected.

So, despite the fact that our health care is falling apart, that half a million Croats have left their homeland [in the past decade], that our salaries are African and prices above the European average, we must not talk about this. Because of the truth we witness and the solutions we offer, OIP is finding itself banned from the public. Everyone must ask themselves why the Homeland Movement/DP or MOST have access to Croatian television, and why I and the people from the OIP party do not. Ivan Penava, president of the Homeland Movement, declares that the attack on the PPD and its head and owner Pavle Vujnovac [private company engaged in trade, import, sale and supply of natural gas] is an attack on Croatia. According to this logic, an ordinary Croat must be happy that individuals break the law and wear necklaces worth half a million euros, while at the same time families are thrown out onto the street due to non-payment of two mortgage instalments, even though the latter is unconstitutional. Protecting a thief is not patriotism!

Do you have a special message that is not directly related to the answers you gave to our previous questions in this interview?

I have and thank you. We did not win Croatia in a lottery, and the Croatian veterans did not give their lives and body parts just so that rigorous laws could be applied for the common people, while there are no rules or laws for the chosen powerful. For centuries, Croats dreamed of their own state and sacrificed for it, so that in their free state they could exercise those rights that are offered exclusively by the national state. Croats are respected all over the world, they are good neighbours, workers, and leading employees, only in their homeland Croatia they cannot realise their interests. That’s why we must arrange a Croatia where everyone is equal before the law, and everyone must respect the laws. Croatia has all the potential to be a rich and an advanced country, and that is why we have to fix Croatia, because only an organised Croatia can be a successful Croatia.