ZAGREB, 30 March, 2021 - MP Milorad Pupovac has accused President Zoran Milanović of dangerously spreading cultural racism, to which Milanović responded on Monday by saying that Pupovac was denouncing Croatia to Sarajevo and Belgrade media but kept quiet when it came to denouncing corruption in Croatia.

"President Milanović is belittling almost everyone who disagrees with him, from women, minority representatives, representatives of the gay population, representatives of the academic community, to neighbouring peoples and states," Pupovac told the radiosarajevo.ba web portal.

He said he was especially concerned about Milanović's "cultural racism speech which can be felt in communication towards Bosnia and Herzegovina (...) and Serbia."

"That's very, very dangerous," said the Serb minority MP and president of the Independent Democratic Serb Party, which is part of the ruling coalition. "We are peoples and states that still haven't healed the horrors of war we went through."

"The rhetoric of cultural racism towards peoples who are east of Croatia, and in that sense religiously, culturally or partly culturally different from the Croatian people or the Croatian state, is an act of verbal insulting and verbal humiliation."

That is not good for Croatia and its democracy, which is fragile, but it can't ben good for the Croats living in BiH or Serbia either, Pupovac said.

"And I'm quite sure it can't be good for the president either. Because if this continues, it won't reverberate only in Croatia and across the borders of the neighbouring states which are mentioned in his speeches with derogatory and frequently racist language, it will certainly spread wider."

Milanović urges Pupovac to do something for Croatia

Milanović responded in a Facebook post, writing that Pupovac "is raising his price on the international market again."

"As his currency loses value at home, he is spreading his constitutional concern for Croatia in the region via Sarajevo media. It's not news that, if necessary, he bargains for himself internationally as well."

Milanović said Pupovac was denouncing Croatia for Sarajevo media today and would probably do so for Belgrade media tomorrow.

He asked Pupovac when he intended "to denounce the corrupt work of the government you sit in" and urged him to "do something for your country" on that front.

For more about politics in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

As Index/Gordan Duhacek writes on the 16th of August, 2019, a Croatian diplomat from the embassy in Berlin, Elizabeta Mađarević, has been spreading racist, xenophobic and homophobic views on Facebook, and criticises the German chancellor for having a "lack of her own culture".

Croatia begins holding the EU Presidency as of January the 1st, 2020, which Prime Minister Andrej Plenković of course describes as a great honour and a pinnacle of the Croatian state's foreign policy. Plenković speaks about this on almost every occasion possible. The significant of Croatia's EU presidency is also frequently emphasised the new foreign and European affairs minister, Gordan Grlić Radman, who was Plenković's personal choice for the post, who was until recently the Croatian ambassador to Berlin, Germany.

There is no doubt that during Croatia's EU presidency, a good official relationship between Zagreb and Berlin will be even more important than ever, because along side the United Kingdom and France, Germany remains the most powerful member of the European Union, and the success of the Croatian agenda crucially depends on German support. On top of that, Germany also takes over from Croatia in terms of EU presidency in the second half of 2020.

Continuous communication, coordination and good relations between the diplomatic staff of the two countries are therefore extremely important, but Croatia does not seem to understand this, given the fact that the first secretary of the Croatian Embassy in Berlin is Elizabeta Mađarević, who likes to post about a ''white and pure Europe''.

This Croatian diplomat is spreading questionable and prejudice views on her Facebook profile, writing about "white Europe" and how only such a Europe can be "pure", spreading anti-immigrant theories, attacking the rights of the LGBT community, the rather unpleasant list goes on, and then on a bit more. 

In addition, Mađarević has published texts on several internet portals over the years in which she attacks migrants and refugees by presenting them as a threat to Christian Europe, and did not fail to attack the Istanbul Convention and Plenković himself, and, more importantly, German Chancellor Angela Merkel. In one text, this Croatian ''diplomat'' diagnosed her with having a "lack of her own culture" because of her statement that Islam belongs in Germany.

The fact that such a person is a prominent part of the Croatian diplomatic mission in the German capital should of course cause a scandal and damages Croatia's reputation in Berlin and in the European Union as a whole.

In addition to photographs of the glorious Croatian Adriatic, she wrote in English Croatia as a "Pure and authentic Europe, with only white Europeans"

Let's first look at what she has written on her Facebook page. On August the 8th, she posted photos of the Adriatic and wrote the following in English: ''Pure and authentic Europe. Just white Europeans as it used to be 30 years ago in the while Europe. This should be a good advertisement for vacations. One would think that this is no longer possible but luckily it is.''

It is almost inconceivable for German diplomacy, of all, to have staff who write in such a way about a "white Europe", especially one who uses the word "pure" in such a context, because this is an undoubted expression of racist sentiment, but this certainly doen't appear to present a problem in Croatian diplomacy.

The rhetoric about "white Europe" is characteristic of white nationalists, among other groups, as is the speech about the purity of a nation or race that implies that dark-skinned people are dirty. The slogans about the "white race" and the "purity of Europe" are a standard part of typical neo-Nazi protests, as well as the Facebook profile of the first secretary of the Croatian Embassy in Berlin.

But that isn't all, this Croatian ''diplomat'' also writes about the LGBT community being made up of people with "immorality and psychological disorders''

As well as racism, Mađarević also spreads anti-LGBT propaganda on her Facebook page, writing in one post about LGBT people that "it is possible to heal and get rid of all this immorality and these psychological disorders".

This post, it seems, is a quote from an article she shared from Christian Headlines describing how a drag queen "discovered" Jesus and was ''saved''. Moreover, Mađarević often emphasises her Christianity both on Facebook and in her other texts, and the version she promotes is quite close to the views of contoversial Željka Markić and the association U ime obitelji.

The first secretary of the Croatian Embassy believes that an "Islamisation agenda" is being implemented across Europe, writing on her Facebook page: "Migrants, mostly Muslims, arrive to Europe not just for the social benefits and European passport, which they obtain in incredably [incredibly] short time (in Arab states they would never get the passport or citizenship or any social benefits if they live there for decades!) but also for the political reasons of islamising agenda. Europe, you needs to learn to say no and build your self-respect and Christian identity that has created the most developed parts of the world.''

The Croatian diplomat also shared an article on her Facebook profile from the ultracatholic portal Lifesitenews calling for the Catholic Church to expel all those believers who support a woman's right to abortion.

Lifesitenews is a portal belonging to the Canadian lobbying organisation Campaign Life Coalition, which fights same-sex marriage, sex education in schools, homosexuality, and fornication. Pope Francis is often attacked on this portal, and the fact-checking portal Snopes describes them as "known spreaders of misinformation." Articles from Lifesitenews are often transmitted by Željka Markić, the Narod.hr portal, and the Catholic portal Bitno.net in Croatia.

On the topic of abortion, she linked to an article from Lifesitenews and wrote: ''The Catholic simply cannot be pro-abortion. Lessons-learned from Ireland: For those who claim to be Catholic but who agree with abortion, it is time for the hierachy to act with similar boldness by announcing that these people are no longer Catholic and they should no longer present themselves for Holy Communion, as Godparents, as Confirmation sponsors, or for any other public ministry in the Church.''

One of the favourite topics of Lifesitenews is linking homosexuality with pedophilia, and Mađarević also shared an article about it on Facebook, stating in English: ''How lgbt is tied to pedophilia, a case shows. Mental disorders of cases like this are quite clear as well. Problem is that media likes to call it 'freedom of expression' , and not for what it is.''

The Croatian ''diplomat'' in Germany is also bothered by German law that allows Croats to work in the German police force.

It seems that Germany and German state politics are the most frequent target of the obviously all knowing and lovely Mađarević. In one post, she ironically describes the news from Badische Neuste Nachrichten that in the province of Baden-Württemberg, out of 24,000 police officers, 330 of them aren't German nationals, which is possible under a German law from 1993, as a ''good comedy''. These people are mostly immigrants who have a permanent residence permit and have proven their German language skills.

Mađarević comments this: ''The security of the Germans has been put in the hands of foreigners living in Germany - in order to improve social integration. Obviously, the social integration of foreigners into German society is more important than the safety and welfare of German citizens. There, integration is the key word for everyone. I'm just wondering how a Turkish or Iranian cop will defend a German, and not his Turkish or Iranian compatriot. Loyalty is obviously not so important for integration (that is why European multicultural societies function so perfectly).''

From this status, as well as from texts published by Mađarević on various portals, she does not seem to approve of the idea of ​​integrating aliens into society, because she believes that nations, races and religions should not interfere with each other, but live separately. That makes perfect sense from a Croat living and working in Germany, doesn't it?

Otherwise, in an article from Badische Neuste Nachrichten, which Magarevic shared on her Facebook and attacked the German practice of hiring non-German police officers who have a permanent residence permit, it states that among those 330 police officers there are also Croats, Italians, in Baden-Württemberg. Greeks and Spaniards. But she - in line with the Islamophobic propaganda she is spreading - has highlighted only Turks and Iranians. To make it even more absurd, the first secretary of the Croatian Embassy in Germany attacks German law, which also allowed Croats to get jobs in the German police! Therefore, according to her, these Croats should not be policemen in Germany.

Angela Merkel suffers from a "lack of her own culture'', at least according to Elizabeta.

When it comes to texts published by Mađarević on portals, most of them were published on the Politikaplus portal.

One text asks "How not to become a populist today?" And another offers "a different picture of the immigration crisis", which she describes as "a lack of one's own culture and a clash of cultures." In this text, Mađarević attacks Germany and writes: ''Angela Merkel's statement that Islam is an integral part of German culture points to something else. And that is the lack of a culture of our own, whether we like it or not, related to Christianity.''

Unsurprisingly, she also attacked the Croatian decision to ratifiy the Istanbul Convention.

She describes the Istanbul Convention as a "tragedy" and adds that "new leaders are being sought", which seems to be an attack on the Croatian PM. Mađarević states that "the real question is why the implementation of such a contentious document is being pushed at the cost of its own face, the largest 'democratic' party, that likes to be called a patriotic party'' (in reference to HDZ).

Furthermore, Mađarevic wonders where ''our'' leaders are, where those strong enough to fight for what's important are, and where these ''strong Croatian men'' are, who serve Christ and the Church. She goes on to talk about how such people are rare now.

She obviously doesn't consider Plenković a "strong Croatian man'', but it's doubtful he is losing sleep over what such an individual thinks of him.

But that isn't all! She also describes human rights as "nonexistent", apparently.

Mađarević texts can also be found to qualify human rights as "nonexistent" and she often writes against the idea of ​​universal human rights. There are also problems in her head with the French Revolution and the values ​​that have arisen from it.

She tends to judge even those who just want a good time like normal people. She writes of her stay in the Latvian capital of Riga: "They tell me that the lure of young Swedes to spending a weekend in Riga is great. Alcohol is very cheap here, and the girls love their rich neighbours. So much for Sweden as the exemplary and moral vertical of the European North.''

So, for this Croatian diplomat to have a problem with you, you don't even need to be bisexual, gay, lesbian, a non Christian, someone serving in the German police force, or even Angela Merkel, it's enough for you to just want to have a good time, especially in Riga, to be on her hit list. Lovely, no?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has remained without comment.

Index, of course, wanted to hear the Foreign Ministry's comment on the shocking views expressed by their so called diplomat. They sent an email to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Croatian Embassy in Berlin, but have not yet received any answers.

Index also called the Office of the MVEP Spokesman several times, but no one answered the phone. They then called the Directorate for Europe, but they told them there was nothing they could comment on without spokespersons and instructed them to call the headquarters. They then called the switchboard several times, but each time they were greeted with: "All operators are busy." Index waited on the line until they were cut off. They then called the spokesman again, but nobody answered.

The great scandal of Croatian diplomacy.

Either way, Elizabeta Mađarević is currently the first secretary of the Croatian Embassy in Berlin, which does not currently have an ambassador at her head since Radman Grlić became Minister of Foreign Affairs. Croatia is currently represented in the German capital by a person who expresses shockingly racist and xenophobic attitudes, with a particular dislike for Germany, German society, and Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Radman Grlić, with whom she worked closely in Berlin, did not seem to have a problem with this, nor did former Minister Marija Pejčinović Burić, in whose mandate she was sent to Berlin, one of Europe's most multicultural and forward-thinking cities.

Plenković must now intervene.

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