Politician Slams Public Funding for Partisan Song Concert as 'Provocation'

Igor Peternel, a Croatian politician and vice-president of the Dom i nacionalno okupljanje party, has strongly criticized the public funding of a partisan song concert in Zagreb. The concert, organized by the Alliance of Anti-Fascist Fighters and Anti-Fascists of the Republic of Croatia and the City of Zagreb, commemorates the Day of Anti-Fascist Struggle and the 85th anniversary of the beginning of the People's Liberation War.

Peternel stated that while individuals are free to sing whatever they wish, using public funds for such events is unacceptable. He accused the city authorities of openly supporting a single ideological group, deeming it deeply immoral and contrary to human rights. Peternel asserted that the partisan movement is associated with historical terror, occupation by the Yugoslav army, and the imposition of a state against the will of the Croatian people, leading to the discovery of numerous mass graves and crimes.

"This is pure provocation," Peternel declared, arguing that such events, which he claims are being funded and presented as a political message honoring numerous crimes and the mistreatment of the Croatian people, actively create new divisions within society. He contrasted this with the purported opposition to societal divisions by those organizing the concert.

Branka Lozo, also a vice-president of the Dom i nacionalno okupljanje party, added that these types of gatherings would not be possible if the Croatian Parliament had passed a declaration condemning the crimes of Josip Broz Tito and the communist regime. She suggested that such a declaration is necessary to address the historical period that, in her view, set back the Croatian nation.