An international conference of nationalist parties, scheduled for April 13 in Zagreb, will not take place on the premises of Matica Hrvatska because this leading Croatian cultural institution has refused to provide a venue for the event following a public outcry.
The conference was organised by the Croatian Pure Party of Rights (HCSP) and was to be followed by a march in central Zagreb on April 14 to mark an anniversary of a judgement handed down by the Hague war crimes tribunal against Croatian generals Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markac.
The HCSP announced that the main theme of the conference would be the importance of connecting European nationalists, citing kindred organisations from Hungary, Bulgaria, Poland, Belgium, France, Germany, and Austria.
The announcement prompted a series of negative reactions on social networks from civil society organisations and private citizens who opposed a nationalist gathering being held in Matica Hrvatska.
The government said on its Twitter account on Saturday that it can say for certain that it will not financially support any event of such a nature, adding that the Ministry of Culture is looking into financing decisions and is appalled by media reports about such a conference.
Later in the afternoon, the HCSP said that Matica Hrvatska had cancelled the conference hall it had booked for April 13.
Matica Hrvatska president Igor Zidic said they had talked with HCSP officials about renting them the venue, but stressed that Matica Hrvatska does not lease out its premises for political gatherings. "It's quite certain that the conference will not be held in Matica Hrvatska," Zidic said in an interview with Zagreb's Radio 101.
