ZAGREB, September 7, 2019 - Social Democratic Party (SDP) leader Davor Bernardić said on Saturday that Croatian Serb leader Milorad Pupovac had gone too far in comparing the contemporary Croatia to the 1941-1945 Nazi-allied Independent State of Croatia (NDH) regime, however he holds the current government responsible for "a climate facilitating attacks on those who differ from others".
"It is clear to everyone that Croatia cannot be compared to the NDH," the SDP chief said during his visit to the ongoing international agricultural fair in Bjelovar, about 90 kilometres northeast of Zagreb.
On the other hand, there is a climate suitable for attacks on those who differ from the majority, Bernardić said, blaming it on the current government. In this context he claimed that attacks directed against Serbs had become normal, and also pointed out the tolerated use of the Ustasha salute "For the homeland ready".
Bernardić again wondered why Pupovac was still a member of the ruling coalition.
Media outlets have reported that recent statements made by Pupovac were on the agenda of a three-hour long meeting of the ruling coalition parties in Zagreb on Friday.
Zoran Milanović, the presidential candidate of the SDP party, who toured the fair grounds separately from Bernardić, said in his comment on relations within the ruling coalition, that it was up to the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) to decide whether it would treat Pupovac as a friend or foe.
In 1997, when he voted for constitutional changes, Pupovac was loved by the HDZ more than if he were their brother, said Milanović, a former SDP leader and prime minister.
He, however, would not comment on Pupovac's statements in which he had compared the current Croatia to the NDH regime. "I do not know what exactly Pupovac said. I hope he didn't overreact," Milanović told the press.
As for statements made by another presidential hopeful, Miroslav Škoro, about a possibility to impose a ban on Pupovac's Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS), Milanović said that "every political party talks nonsense from time to time. The SDP used to talk nonsense, the HDZ talks nonsense every day. If we start banning parties for that, it will pave the way to tyranny".
Earlier in the day Bernardić said that Škoro's proposal on the possible ban of the SDSS was unacceptable.
More SDP news can be found in the Politics section.
