ZAGREB, May 8 (Hina) - Commenting on an incident which took place in Veljun near Karlovac on Saturday and recent announcements of road blockades, Croatia's Premier Ivica Racan said they were bad for Croatia. "It is certain that events
like the one which took place yesterday, such as the extremist clinking of weapons, the inimical attitude towards one's own people and state (...) do Croatia no good," the premier told Croatian Television on Sunday. "But, in democratic Europe, it is known there are extremists elsewhere as well, so I suppose it won't do Croatia too much harm," he added. The individuals or groups behind such incidents are not in conflict with the government's policy, the premier asserted. They are "in conflict with the Croatian state and the Croatian people, the interests of this people. This is clear to everyone in Croatia today, so I don't believe they will be given any substantial suppor
ZAGREB, May 8 (Hina) - Commenting on an incident which took place in
Veljun near Karlovac on Saturday and recent announcements of road
blockades, Croatia's Premier Ivica Racan said they were bad for
Croatia.
"It is certain that events like the one which took place yesterday,
such as the extremist clinking of weapons, the inimical attitude
towards one's own people and state (...) do Croatia no good," the
premier told Croatian Television on Sunday.
"But, in democratic Europe, it is known there are extremists
elsewhere as well, so I suppose it won't do Croatia too much harm,"
he added.
The individuals or groups behind such incidents are not in conflict
with the government's policy, the premier asserted. They are "in
conflict with the Croatian state and the Croatian people, the
interests of this people. This is clear to everyone in Croatia
today, so I don't believe they will be given any substantial
support," he said.
Racan asserted he was sure that even in this instance, Croatia would
once again demonstrate that it was a democratic state belonging to
the democratic states of Europe.
The Croatian Serb residents of Veljun were to hold a commemoration
on Saturday for 525 residents of Veljun and nearby villages killed
by the Ustashi on 6 May 1941. The commemoration, organised by the
sub-committee of the Serb Cultural Society "Prosvjeta" and the
Veljun-based branch of the Serb Democratic Forum, had been
announced for noon.
Another commemoration was held in the neighbouring village of
Hrvatski Blagaj only an hour earlier, this one in memory of Croats,
the five-member Mravunac family, whom Serbs from Veljun had
slaughtered in the night between 5 and 6 May 1941. The commemoration
had been organised by the Slunj-based branch of the Croatian WW2
Domobrani (Home Guard) Association.
When the Hrvatski Blagaj commemoration ended, those who had
attended headed for Veljun where the Serb commemoration was to take
place. Hurling insults at the gathered Serbs, the Croats prevented
the commemoration from taking place. According to reports in the
media, they were especially criticising of Serb People's Council
president Milorad Pupovac, who left under police protection.
According to Jutarnji List daily, police prevented a physical
clash, separating the Croats who had arrived with slogans from the
Serbs who were to lay wreaths by Veljun's monument to victims of
fascism.
(hina) ha mm