April 17, 2021- President Zoran Milanović attended a ceremony in Marčana on Saturday, marking the Proština Rebellion centenary, saying that Nazism and fascism were extremisms of hate and that communism was the extremism of human and noble hope.

"That difference, apparently only verbal, is actually essential," he said.

The Proština Rebellion in Istria County was one of the first anti-fascist uprisings in Europe.

Milanović laid a wreath and lit a candle at the monument to the revolt and said that little was known in Croatia about the resistance of the villagers of Proština.

Living in Istria has become chic

"Today Istria can be proud of everything it built and is building. This is a tolerant, progressive, pleasant environment where people wish to live. It's become chic in a way. This status was not won quickly or easily," he said, adding that the story of Istria was a story of success, "of a success which lasts despite the coronavirus crisis, which will pass."

"Today we have a beautiful, successful, tolerant, gentle, but energetic place where good and ambitious people live," Milanović said.

Former president Stjepan Mesić said it would have been good if the victory in WWII had meant the end of fascism but that it was not quite so as many equated communism and fascism.

"Communism is a mega idea which could be only a world idea and it is unachievable. Fascism is dangerous as it can occur in small communities to develop and endanger the world. Unfortunately, even today we have attempts by revisionists who think they can turn those defeated in World War II into the winners. Obviously, that can succeed and it's up to us to oppose that," Mesić said.

Pula mayor: We don't allow anti-fascism to be besmirched

Istria County acting prefect Fabrizio Radin and Pula mayor Boris Miletić said that anti-fascism, as the lasting commitment of the people of Istria, was lived in the county on a daily basis.

"That struggle began in early 1921 here in Istria with the rebellion of villagers against the fascist terror. Occurring almost simultaneously as the Proština Rebellion was the Labin Republic, that is the uprising of Istrian miners which is considered the first antifascist uprising in the world," Miletić said, adding that in Istria anti-fascism had always been unsullied.

"We don't allow anti-fascism to be besmirched and speak loudly against anyone doing that. We nurture those true democratic values and continue to pass them on to younger generations," he said.

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