Fini was speaking in the northern Adriatic city of Trieste on the occasion of Italy's remembrance day for people thrown into karst pits and Italian refugees who fled Istria, Rijeka and Dalmatia at the end of WW2.
Some of those refugees booed when Fini said that Croatia wanted to join the EU and should be helped in the process. He responded by saying that one should look ahead and "follow our friends the Croats on their road to Europe," which was met with remarks that he had been "fooled" because "the Slavs are always Slavs".
Addressing those who were booing, the minister said Croatia would join the EU provided it cooperated with the UN tribunal in The Hague in tracking down war criminals. "Let's help those peoples rid themselves of the demons of the past. Italy has done so."
Booing was also heard when Fini said that when it came to the restitution of Italian refugees assets negotiations were not "as important as belief in European values, which themselves will create paths". He responded to shouts that he was creating illusions by saying that one should look forward and not backwards.
"Croatia will start the EU entry negotiations only if it cooperates with the Hague tribunal in the extradition of war criminals. Italy isn't the only one asking that, all 25 Union members are," he said after a national holiday commemorating Italians victims in Tito's Yugoslavia after WW2, according to France Presse.