CROATIAN PRIME MINISTER ISSUES HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY MESSAGE

ZAGREB, Jan 27(Hina) - In a message issued on the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27, Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader called on Croatian citizens to contribute to the development and nurturing of tolerance and diversity in the Croatian society, "which we want to build on the values of modern democratic Europe, one of the most important ones being anti-fascism", the government's public relations office said in a statement.#L# "Today, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the day when survivor inmates of the infamous Auschwitz were liberated, we remember all the horrors and inhumanity which mankind survived six decades ago. The crimes of fascism, Nazism and the suffering of the Jews and other freedom-loving people must never be forgotten," Sanader said in the message. Holocaust Remembrance Day offers an opportunity to warn about the unacceptability of extremism, intolerance and political violence, he added. "The Holocaust is not only a thing of the distant past. It is the foundation of modern threats to mankind - racism and intolerance towards other religions and ethnic groups draw their strength from the same kind of intolerance, violence and exclusiveness. Therefore I wish to call on all Croatian citizens on this day to contribute to the common good - the development and nurturing of diversity and tolerance in the Croatian society which we want to build on the values of modern democratic Europe, one of the most important ones being anti-fascism. We are doing so to make today's Croatia and Croatia of the future a society of free, protected and happy people," reads the PM's message. (Hina) rml sb