POLITICAL PARTIES AND ASSOCIATIONS DEPLORE BLAST OF MIROGOJ GRAVE - PART TWO

ZAGREB, Feb 2 (Hina) - Many Croatian associations and political parties strongly condemned Thursday's uncivilised and barbarous act in which a monument to Second World War anti-fascist fighters in Zagreb's main cemetery was damaged in the blast of an explosive device. Viewing the act also as a blow to Croatia's democratic processes and civil freedoms, the Croatian Jewish community, Croatian Journalists' Society, Zagreb's branch of the Association of Independent Trade Unions of Croatia (SSSH), the female section of the Transition Towards Open Society, the "Return to Home" civic committee, Croatian Legal Committee (HPO) and the Croatian Helsinki Committee (HHO), issued statements strongly deploring the act of ruining the grave of WW2 national heroes at Mirogoj. On the other hand, the New Croatian Right released a statement resolutely refuting speculations that its members may be the perpetrators of "the unsuccessful attempt to demolish the monument to the so-called heroes of the national liberation war in Zagreb's cemetery of Mirogoj," the statement read. The New Right also expressed full understanding for the perpetrators' motives as "it is not difficult to understand that Croatian patriots are fed up with the systematic restoration of anti-fascism and Yugoslavia, which is gaining momentum day by day in all fields." (hina) sb ms