Refugee association head criticizes Croatia over Šešelj

Refugee association head criticizes Croatia over Šešelj

BELGRADE -- The Croatian parliament's move to adopt "a declaration on Vojislav Šešelj" is an attempt to force the responsibility for his statements on Serbia's officials.

This is according to Miodrag Linta, president of the Coalition of Refugee Associations, who also observed it was "quite clear that the Serbian government is not to blame for Šešelj's public appearances."

"The declaration aims to present Croatia as a country that has met all the requirements before entering the European Union and therefore claims the right to lecture Serbia about respecting the standards of democracy and the rule of law - which represents the pinnacle of cynicism," Linta said in a written statement sent to the media.

He added that numerous facts confirm that mass violations of human rights of Serb returnees and displaced Serbs are happening in Croatia, and that the judiciary there is biased and ethnically motivated.

Linta called on parliamentary groups in the Croatian parliament to condemn an anti-Serb event which takes place every August in Čavoglave, near the town of Knin, to commemorate, as he says, the criminal operation "Storm".

More than 100,000 people gathered there this year for the 11th time, organized by Marko Perković aka Thompson, many of whom carried flags, hats and other props with the symbols of the WW2-era Nazi entity known as the Independent State of Croatia (NDH).

Linta added that those gathered in Čavoglava sang songs with lyrics such as, "Oh mother Croatia, we will slaughter Serbs ..." and the like, and also chanted slogans of NDH's Ustasha regime which spread hatred towards Serbs.

Lints specifically invited...