CROATIAN ANTIFASCISTS LAY WREATHS IN MEMORY OF KERESTINEC VICTIMS

KERESTINEC, July 13 (Hina) - The Alliance of Antifascist War Veterans of Croatia (SAB) on Sunday marked the 56th anniversary of an escape of about a hundred antifascists, including prominent Croatian intellectuals, from an Ustasha-run prison at Kerestinec, 15 km west of Zagreb. Speaking at a lay-wreathing ceremony at a monument outside Kerestinec Castle, SAB president Ivan Fumic stressed the importance of emphasising the antifascist tradition of Croatia, particularly after reports alleging that there were fascist tendencies in Croatia. "The memory of Kerestinec victims represents resistance to totalitarianism and neofascism," Fumic stressed, adding that Croatia's future must be based on the principles of antifascism, democracy, equality and the rule of law. Wreaths were also laid by delegations of the Social Democratic Party of Croatia and the Antifascist War Veterans' Alliance of Slovenia. (hina) vm 131518 MET jul 97