ZAGREB, November 7, 2019 – Social Democratic Party (SDP) whip Arsen Bauk said on Wednesday that the proposal by the Parliament’s Committee on War Veterans that Antifascist Struggle Day, June 22, no longer be observed as a national holiday and non-working day but as a memorial day, was unacceptable and cowardly.
“The proposed amendment is absolutely unacceptable and cowardly… They should have proposed that it be completely removed from the calendar (of holidays) because that is probably how they feel about it, rather than reducing it to a memorial day,” said Bauk.
He described the amendment as absolutely unacceptable but added that parties of the ruling coalition and the government as the sponsor of amendments to the law on holidays, memorial days and non-working days should state their position on the proposal.
“I believe that this is about the (HDZ) party’s right wing provoking a little and striking back at (PM and HDZ leader) Andrej Plenković, but that’s his problem, even though it could become a state problem,” Bauk told reporters in the parliament.
The War Veterans Committee, chaired by HDZ MP and HVIDRA disabled war veterans association head Josip Đakić, put forward at its session earlier in the day an amendment to the government-sponsored bill on holidays proposing that October 8, Independence Day, should remain a national holiday while Antifascist Struggle Day, June 22, currently a national and non-working day, should become a memorial and working day.
The government’s proposal of the new calendar of holidays will be discussed by the parliament on Friday.
More news about historical revisionism can be found in the Politics section.
