Croatia tightens laws: grave inscriptions have to disappear!
Croatia tightens laws: grave inscriptions have to disappear!
Krajina, Kroatien - Croatia has tightened his handling of grave inscriptions and demands the removal of texts that are considered hurtful for the religious, moral or national feelings of the Croatians. Grave owners must meet the instructions, especially if the inscriptions refer to Serbian identity. This mainly affects monuments with phrases such as "on Serbian soil" or "fell for the Serbian Krajina", as the DP MP Stipo Mlinaric confirmed. The owners have 30 days to remove the affected inscriptions, otherwise fines are at risk of between 1,000 and 5,000 euros.
The measure has already caused outrage in the Serbian community. Critics, including Metropolit Fotije from Zvornik-Tuzla, describe the law as discriminatory. In addition, Serbian government representatives accuse Croatia of wanting to suppress the memory of Serbian victims and their identity. This also affects the already tense relationships between Croatia and Serbia.
The Krajina region and its history
The Krajina region was the center of the Serbian minority in Croatia in the Croatia War from 1991 to 1995. The Krajina Serben, who lived here, are descendants of Orthodox military farmers who were located from the 16th century to protect the Habsburg Empire against the Ottomans. The term "Krajina" is often avoided in Croatia because it is historically stressed. The Croatia War led to the foundation of the Republic of Serbian Krajina, which was not recognized under international law, from which almost all Krajina-Serben fled during the Military Operation in 1995.
Historically, the Krajina serubs are part of the Serbian population in Croatia, whose roots in the border area are sufficient for Bosnia-Herzegovina. The connection to the Serbian identities was shaken by many conflicts over the centuries, including during the Ustascha regime from 1941 to 1945, where estimates were murdered. These deep wounds still shape the relationship between the two peoples.Current tensions between Croatia and Serbia
The current measures of Croatia are another challenge in the already attacked Croatian-Serbian relationships. Historically, today's tensions from the morning schism in the 11th century and the different religious affiliations that have led to conflicts over the centuries. Croatia held on the Roman church, while the Serbian tribes turned to the Byzantine-Orthodox faith.
Despite the time -consuming cooperation between the two nations, such as during the revolutions of 1848/1849, ethnic conflicts, in particular control over areas such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, have remained a central topic. However, the actual problems were exacerated after Croatia's independence in 1991, when Serbian forces drank the Republic of Serbian Krajina within Croatia and led the conflicts to a war.
In this historical context, the demand for removing Serbian inscriptions on tombstones is seen as another attempt to suppress the Serbian identity in Croatia and to tear down the wounds of the past.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Ort | Krajina, Kroatien |
| Quellen | |