ZAGREB, 9 January, 2022 - Bosnia and Herzegovina will stay buried in the past as long as populist and nationalist politicians, such as the Mayor of Banja Luka, Draško Stanivuković, who has unveiled a memorial plaque in tribute to Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) Major Milan Tepić, live on myths, the Mayor of Bjelovar, Dario Hrebak, said on Sunday.
Major Tepić blew up himself and the JNA barracks outside Bjelovar in 1991, and the town was not razed to the ground only thanks to the Croatian defenders, Hrebak recalled.
"As long as populist and nationalist politicians, in particular those as young as Stanivuković, who know nothing about the horrors of war, live on myths and build their political careers on that, instead of giving a future to people through development policies, our neighbouring country will be buried in the past and people will be poisoned with quasi-heroisms like this instead of being provided with a better life," Hrebak said.
He said there is no room for fanaticism in Europe or in the civilised world.
"Our young men were killed while defending their homes and families, when Stanivuković was not even born, and we will never forget them. We will not use this to incite hatred and ethnic intolerance, because as many as 22 ethnic minorities live in harmony in Bjelovar today, but will try to ensure that inhumane people never again put their finger on the trigger or the detonator," the mayor of Bjelovar said.
