Fascist greeting doesn't incite hatred, Croatian court finds

Perkovic stood accused of disturbing the public order and peace, and the Misdemeanor Court in the town of Slunj found that him shouting the greeting in question ("Za dom spremni" in Croatian) did not represent incitement to hatred.

The judge read out the verdict to say that the greeting is "an integral part of the lyrics to the song 'Bojna Cavoglave' which he has authored."

"For home ready" was the military greeting used during the Second World War by the Croatian Ustasha, and also by armed Croatian units during the wars of the 1990s.

The Ustasha regime was in power in the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), an entity allied with the Nazis, that had set up and operated death camps for Serbs, Jews, and Roma.

In Croatia, using the greeting in question is unconstitutional - but a government commission set up to confront the consequences of the rule of undemocratic regimes recommended in February that it can be used "on special occasions" - for example, when honoring the fallen members of the HOS ("Croatian Council of Defense") - an armed formation from the wars of the 1990s.

Perkovic is know for frequently promoting Ustashism during his performances. His concerts often feature Ustasha choreography, while several of his songs glorify the murder of Serbs.

One of them is called "Jasenovac and Gradiska Stara" - after the Croatian WW2 concentration camps - and contains the following lyrics: "Jasenovac and Gradiska Stara/That's the home of Maks (Luburic's) butchers/Slaughter happened in Capljina/The Neretva (river) carried many Serbs."

"For home ready" can often be heard in Croatia's football stadiums, too - mostly used by right-wing supporters, but also by some athletes, like footballer Josip Simunic...