"Matica Hrvatska has never rented out its premises to political parties and it did not do it now. The ongoing smear campaign is a well-planned attack on Matica Hrvatska and its president," MH said in a statement. "Matica Hrvatska will not be intimidated by such provocation and will continue working on achieving the goals for which it was established," it added.
MH issued a similar statement on Saturday evening, dismissing as untrue media reports that it had rented out its main conference hall to the right-wing Croatian Pure Party of Rights (HCSP) for a conference on April 13 which was described by the media as a gathering of fascist nationalists. MH president Igor Zidic, speaking in an interview with Zagreb's Radio 101 on Saturday, denied that the conference would be held at MH.
However, the HCSP said that MH "has cancelled the conference hall it has booked for April 13." The party has removed from its website the information that the conference will be held in MH's Grand Hall, saying that the conference will be held regardless, but at another venue.
The HCSP announced earlier that the conference would be followed by a march in central Zagreb on April 14 to mark one year since the Hague war crimes tribunal delivered its judgement against Croatian generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac. The party said that the main theme of the conference would be the importance of connecting European nationalists, citing kindred organisations from Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, Belgium, France, Germany, and Austria.
The announcement prompted a series of negative reactions on social networks from civil society organisations and private citizens who opposed a nationalist gathering being held at Matica Hrvatska.
The government said on its Twitter account on Saturday that it can say for certain that it will not financially support any event of such a nature, adding that the Ministry of Culture is looking into financing decisions and is appalled by media reports about such a conference.