Croatian Government Honors Victims of Totalitarian Regimes

Croatian government representatives paid tribute to victims of totalitarian and authoritarian regimes at Zagreb's Mirogoj cemetery on the European Day of Remembrance. The government issued a statement condemning all crimes, persecutions, murders, and acts of violence against innocent people committed in the name of any totalitarian or authoritarian regime.

Ministers Damir Habijan (Justice, Administration, and Digital Transformation) and Almir Ružić (Labor, Pension System, Family, and Social Policy), along with special advisors to the Prime Minister Mate Granić and Sara Lustig, laid candles at several key memorials. These included the "Voice of the Croatian Victim – Wall of Pain," the Tomb of National Heroes, the grave of Bruno Bušić, the Memorial to Croatian Victims of Bleiburg and the Death Marches, and the grave of the first Croatian President, Franjo Tuđman.

Minister Habijan highlighted the significance of the day for preserving the truth and dignity of all victims, regardless of the regime under which they suffered. "We want to honor the victims, but also send a message that the crimes committed under totalitarian regimes must not be forgotten and must not be repeated," Habijan stated, explicitly condemning Nazi, fascist, and communist crimes.

The government's statement emphasized that totalitarian regimes caused immense suffering, human rights violations, and persecution of political dissidents in Croatia and other European countries during the 20th century. "We owe victims truth and dignity, and nurturing a culture of remembrance is our civilizational obligation," the government declared, pledging continued commitment to reducing societal divisions and educating future generations with the message that such atrocities must never happen again.

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Žrtvama dugujemo istinu i dostojanstvo, a njegovanje kulture sjećanja naša je civilizacijska obveza.