ZAGREB, Oct 23 (Hina) - Consistent with its destiny, one of Zagreb's most beautiful squares will apparently have its name altered once again. Unlike the previous 13 occasions, with a different name bestowed on every one, this time Trg
hrvatskih velikana (Croatian Greats' Square) could be given back the name it had before: Trg zrtava fasizma (Victims of Fascism Square). The Zagreb City Assembly committee in charge of naming neighbourhoods, streets and squares will forward this motion to the assembly. At Monday's session, the committee also decided to find another square which would be named Croatian Greats' Square as soon as possible, as many people today identify last decade's Homeland Defence War with this name. "The mistake of the former authorities, which in 1990 without a reason abolished the name Victims of Fascism Square, should be corrected", said Zdravko Tomac, a member on the committee and of
ZAGREB, Oct 23 (Hina) - Consistent with its destiny, one of Zagreb's
most beautiful squares will apparently have its name altered once
again.
Unlike the previous 13 occasions, with a different name bestowed on
every one, this time Trg hrvatskih velikana (Croatian Greats'
Square) could be given back the name it had before: Trg zrtava
fasizma (Victims of Fascism Square).
The Zagreb City Assembly committee in charge of naming
neighbourhoods, streets and squares will forward this motion to the
assembly.
At Monday's session, the committee also decided to find another
square which would be named Croatian Greats' Square as soon as
possible, as many people today identify last decade's Homeland
Defence War with this name.
"The mistake of the former authorities, which in 1990 without a
reason abolished the name Victims of Fascism Square, should be
corrected", said Zdravko Tomac, a member on the committee and of the
strongest party in the ruling coalition.
"The re-naming was not a mistake", said a representative of the
formerly ruling Croatian Democratic Union party, Vera Stanic-
Pivcevic, and added the new government had not been given a blank
mandate to lightly change names. She was, however, in the
minority.
The session was also attended by representatives of interested non-
governmental associations, the Action urging returning the name
Victims of Fascism Square, the Croatian Mothers Association, and
other associations from the Homeland Defence War, which protested
today outside of the City Council asking that the square keep its
current name.
For ten years, the square in downtown Zagreb has been the scene of
protests with the opposite request, organised by the Action urging
returning the name Victims of Fascism Square every year on the day
marking victory over fascism. Over the past couple of years, right-
wing parties protested too, at the same time and place. Tear-gas and
stones were used. On one famous occasion, incumbent President Stipe
Mesic deftly overpowered and turned away a much younger,
belligerent counter-protester.
Since it was built in 1920s, the square carried various names, from
that of King Petar I the Liberator, Ban Kulin, the no name square, to
others.
The capital's residents still call it "Dzamija" (the mosque), the
name dating from World War Two, when the arts pavilion in the centre
of the square was used as a mosque.
(hina) it