Statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikola Selaković

A country where neo-Nazis put up signs in Jasenovac, where the Cyrillic alphabet is forbidden, where streets and squares bear the names of Ustasha ideologues and terrorists, a country fed by xenophobia and fear of its neighbours, has the most reason to fear itself and internal extremism.

It is indisputable that there are those in Croatia who endeavour to preserve the anti-fascist tradition. However, before they begin to add Hitler's moustaches on the portraits of the Serbian president, a descendant of the Jasenovac victims, and the highest state officials of Hungary and Italy, they should address the question of how it is possible that in the XXI century Croatian youth is parading in Milan with Falangist salutes, shouting “Za Dom spremni!”? (For homeland – ready!).

Who are the parents of these young people? What kind of schools taught them that? What is to say of a society in which fascism is not only a secret commitment or a marginal occurence, but a phenomenon that is being manifested publicly and massively, not only in Croatian cities, but also on the streets of other countries? These are the questions to which the Express and other Croatian newspapers should answer before they turn to Serbia, Hungary, or some other country. After all, they should know that people with added Hitler moustaches can only gain in popularity in Croatia.

A country where left and right political forces are competing in extremism and flirting with the Ustasha movement should face itself and heal its own social issues before starting to throw labels around.

One cannot appeal to anti-fascism from Bleiburg, because the seeds of hatred inevitably breed hatred, paranoia, and fear of everything different.