On Friday, MPs supported the proclamation of May 3 as a new memorial day - the Day of Remembrance for Children Killed and Victims in the Homeland War, which was preceded by a heated debate between the left and right opposition over the conclusion of the DOMiNO Club and the Sovereignists to abolish the Day of the Anti-Fascist Struggle as a holiday.
The government, at the suggestion of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, proposed this date because on May 3, 1992, the largest number of children were killed in Slavonski Brod in one day during the Homeland War, six of them, the youngest of whom was only 20 months old.
"That day is remembered as the bloodiest war day in the history of Slavonski Brod. During the Homeland War, during the Greater Serbian aggression, more than 400 children were killed, and in Slavonski Brod 28 children, which is the largest number of children killed in a local self-government unit," the bill states.
The introduction of the new memorial day was supported by 127 MPs, and two were 'against', and before these changes were made, a heated debate ensued between the left and right opposition due to a resolution submitted by the DOMiNO and Croatian Sovereignists parliamentary group, in which they asked the Government to abolish the national holiday of June 22, which marks the Day of the Anti-Fascist Struggle.
The modern and contemporary Republic of Croatia, claim the representatives of this Club, was created in opposition to the Yugoslav communist nature of June 22nd.
Krešimir Čabaj (DOMiNO) requested a break before the vote and pointed out that, if we are already marking the Day of the Anti-Fascist Struggle, the name of Andrija Hebrang should be singled out, "a man who sincerely fought for Croatian interests and advocated for Boka Kotorska and Srijem to become part of the Republic of Croatia, and for that he was killed in a Belgrade casemate or, as the communists say, hanged himself from a radiator". Are these the anti-fascists who kill Croats who dare to speak out, he asked.
"Although the left phalanx has already risen to its feet in defense of its positions, we have studied in detail all the countries in Europe to see if anyone celebrates anti-fascism as a national holiday - no one celebrates it. And the countries that celebrate it do so on August 23, the European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Totalitarian Regimes. I ask the left opposition, which anti-fascism do you support - Hebrang's or Tito's and Ranković's," he said.
Fierce debate over demand to abolish Anti-Fascist Struggle Day
According to the Constitution, Croatia is founded on anti-fascist foundations and that is why the Day of the Anti-Fascist Struggle is celebrated in Croatia, replied SDP's Peđa Grbin.
His party colleague Ranko Ostojić added that May 9th is Europe Day and the Day of the Fight against Fascism.
"So much for who and how views fascism. Don't talk about the hundreds of thousands killed after the war, just remember all those Croats who gave their lives for the freedom of this Croatia, if you will, Tuđman's partisans," he said.
Not only because of the Constitution, we will never give up on anti-fascism and the Day of the Anti-Fascist Struggle, emphasized Možemo! representative Damir Bakić.
"As far as I understand, my colleague Čabaj did not question anti-fascism as a value, he spoke about the differences between Hebrang and Tito, he expressed his opinion, you can agree with him or not, and the fact that you would shut people's mouths so that they would not talk about it is another matter," said Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković, after which HDZ representatives applauded him.
Marijan Pavliček (Croatian Sovereignists) told the left-wing MPs that none of them are asking them to renounce anti-fascism, but that they are only expected to condemn the crimes that these anti-fascists committed after World War II.
"Bakić is belittling the representatives and the Croatian people. Crimes under the guise of anti-fascism are fascist methods, symbols - the five-pointed star, together with the Chetnik cockade, which is an anti-fascist symbol, attacked Croatia and the Homeland War and the defenders are anti-fascists because they fought for the freedom of Croatia and you, colleague Bakić, enjoy the benefits in this Parliament," said Most's Miro Bulj.
The president of the Homeland Movement, Ivan Penava, pointed out that they are against all totalitarian regimes and, accordingly, do not support the abolition of the Day of Anti-Fascist Struggle, "but with the clear distinction that propagating communism under that term is something we equally distance ourselves from."
"While we in Vukovar were fighting against the five-pointed star and the cockade, some of the proponents were still wearing the five-pointed star and swearing by Tito and the party. I agree that there were many crimes after World War II, but when it comes to holidays, we trust the assessment of the first Croatian president more than some quasi-rightists," added Tomislav Josić (DP).
Independent Nino Raspudić called on his colleagues to leave this discussion for another occasion and focus on introducing a new memorial day.
"We have reached a consensus to introduce a memorial day 30 years after the war for the innocent children killed in the Homeland War. This is an important discussion, but I suggest that we hold it separately. June 22nd is an apocryphal date that should be commemorated in the Museum of Broken Relationships because that is when the love between communists and Nazis broke, but let's leave that for another time, today the focus is on children," he said.
Pavliček (Sovereignists), also submitted a Resolution requesting the Government to include May 23rd in the calendar of memorial days as the Day of the Father of the Homeland Ante Starčević, but neither of these two resolutions passed. The abolition of the Day of the Anti-Fascist Struggle was supported by only six MPs, and 120 voted 'against', while Pavliček's proposal received 15 votes 'for' and 68 'against'.
Photo: FAH/Edvard Šušak
