ZAGREB, Sept 8 (Hina) - The association of Croatian emigrants whoreturned to Croatia on Wednesday reacted to claims published in someAustrian media according to which the Croatian government supportedthe erection of an "Ustashi
monument" at the Bleiburg field. Theassociation said that nobody was erecting a new monument but that theexisting one to the Bleiburg victims, which was errected in 1987, wasbeing reconstructed and extended in accordance with Austrian laws andadded that the reconstruction of the monument would be completed inMay 2005.
ZAGREB, Sept 8 (Hina) - The association of Croatian emigrants who
returned to Croatia on Wednesday reacted to claims published in some Austrian
media according to which the Croatian government supported the erection of an
"Ustashi monument" at the Bleiburg field. The association said that nobody was
erecting a new monument but that the existing one to the Bleiburg victims,
which was errected in 1987, was being reconstructed and extended in accordance
with Austrian laws and added that the reconstruction of the monument would be
completed in May 2005.The Croatian government gave EUR125,000 to the association of Croatian
emigrants to purchase a piece of land on the Bleiburg field but whether
something would be built on that site is still a question and it will depend on
the standpoint of the Austrian authorities and the opinion of experts, vice
president of the association Boze Vuksic told a news conference today and added
that the association would forward a memorandum about this to the Austrian
media.
The reconstructed monument will be unveiled at the ceremony marking the
60th anniversary of the Bleiburg tragedy -- 15 May 2005, Vuksic said.
The association of Croatian emigrants who returned to Croatia does not
support the setting-up of a memorial-plaque to Mile Budak in Sveti Rok or the
erection of any monument that is not in line with the Croatian Constitution,
president of the association Katica Milos said.