Gordan Grlic Radman, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia stated yesterday in Stolac, where he participated in the marking of the 76th anniversary of the Bleiburg tragedy and the Way of the Cross, that the Croatian people were victims of all ideologies, from fascist, Nazi, to communist.
”As an envoy of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, I am here today to mark the 76th anniversary of the Bleiburg tragedy, the Way of the Cross, all the ways of the Cross or death marches on Radimlja, where 76 years ago there was a large execution site where communist criminals committed murders. They killed people, both civilians and prisoners, without a trial, without a verdict. This is really a terrible chapter in Croatia’s past, ” Croatian Minister Grlic Radman told reporters.
He emphasized that the Croatian people are a small nation and that they were victims of all ideologies, equally fascist, Nazi, and communist.
”Especially in May 1945, from Bleiburg to the entire former state, the Adriatic Sea, people were killed and thrown into common pits. Innocent civilians were killed here, girls, women in traditional costumes without any trial and verdict, ” told Minister Grlic Radman after meeting with the mayor of Stolac, Stjepan Boskovic.
Grlic Radman added that the Croatian people had been exposed to ruthless communist violence until 1990.
”But then this town of Stolac, which is in a way a union and civilization of cultures at the same time, but again a natural recipient of tolerance of all cultures, and strong identity. The Croatian people here are indigenous people from a long time ago, and they managed to withstand all those dangers in their territory since the Ottoman period, the Austrian occupation, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, so certainly in the 21st century we expect Croats in BiH to keep their own identity, to have the right to the legitimacy of electing their own representatives, ” the Croatian Minister pointed out.
Grlic Radman stated that in 1992 this area managed to resist the Greater Serbia ideology of conquest.
”Stolac managed to win freedom and here are the Croats who are indeed fighting for their city and its prosperity, ” he emphasized.
He added that he was glad to discuss future projects and cross-border cooperation in Stolac today and that he could hear in a conversation with the mayor that they have a very optimistic and promising vision for the development of Stolac.
”We have mentioned only some topics of common interest and the Croatian government will strongly support the development of this area, ” told Grlic Radman.
E.Dz.
