The 70th anniversary of an uprising against the Nazi-style Ustasha regime that ruled Croatia during World War Two was marked by a wreath-laying ceremony on Wednesday in the town of Srb, situated near the Bosnian border, about 170 kilometres south of Zagreb.
The ceremony was attended by some 500 people, including the envoy of Croatian President Ivo Josipovic, Fred Matic, former Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, Serb National Council (SNV) president Milorad Pupovac, representatives of anti-fascist fighters and associations from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, Serbian Ambassador Stanimir Vukicevic and others.
"This is a holiday of all Croatian citizens. In World War II freedom was won and prerequisites were created for Croatia's independence," president's envoy Matic said.
SNV president Pupovac commented on yesterday's gathering of members of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) at the monument to the WWII anti-fascist uprising in Srb to commemorate 2,000 people who they said had been massacred by Serb Chetniks following the uprising on July 27, 1941.
An attempt was made yesterday to desecrate this anti-fascist monument and all those who believe in anti-fascism, Pupovac said.
Former President Mesic said that lately Croatia "has been nurturing the culture of lies."
"I am tired of reiterating historical facts. The Independent State of Croatia was neither a state nor Croatian," Mesic said.
At the same time, several hundred metres away, the same as last year, the Autochthonous Party of Rights staged a protest, saying that the 1941 uprising was not an anti-fascist event but one associated with Serbian territorial expansionism. Some 200 people took part in the protest.
Today's ceremony was secured by some 100 police. No incidents were reported.
