ZAGREB, April 21, 2018 – A commemoration for the victims of the World War II concentration camp of Jasenovac, organised by the Alliance of Associations of Antifascist Fighters and Antifascists (SABA) and the Serb National Council (SNV) was held in Jasenovac, around 100 kilometres southeast of Zagreb.
Addressing those present, SABA president Franjo Habulin said it was their duty to continue the fight for a democratic, civilised, tolerant, European and anti-fascist Croatia.
Speaking at the event, which was also attended by Deputy Parliament Speaker Sinisa Hajdaš Dončić of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Habulin said that in the best case scenario the system today offered Croatia’s youth an incomplete and in the worst case scenario an entirely distorted and falsified picture of the World War II in this region.
He said he was referring to thesis according to which the Ustasha salute “For the Homeland, Ready!” is an old Croatian salute and stories that Ustasha leader Ante Pavelić was forced to give most of the Adriatic coast and islands to the Nazis, as well as stories that the Independent State of Croatia (NDH, Nazi puppet government) had practiced discrimination and antisemitism only because this was demanded by the Nazis.
“One lie after another! And as long as these lies are being repeated louder and louder, we are obliged to repeat the truth,” Habulin said.
Deputy Parliament Speaker and Italian minority MP Furio Radin did not attend the commemoration for health reason but he issued a message expressing confidence that today’s commemorative event would once again focus the public attention on horrific crimes committed against Serbs, Jews, the Roma, Croats and other peoples during the NDH regime, only because they were of a different nationality, religion, race or political beliefs. “I would also like to believe that every symbol of the criminal Ustasha regime will disappear from Croatia for good,” Radin said.
The official commemoration, organised by state authorities will be held on Sunday. Jewish communities held their separate commemoration earlier this week.
