The Protest of Widows and Defenders is Underway: Serbia Must Answer for Genocide, Pay War Reparations

Several hundred widows of Croatian defenders from the Homeland War, defenders, and members of HVIDRA began a protest on Monday at Ban Josip Jelačić Square against the arrival of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in Zagreb.

The protest started at 10 a.m. under a large banner reading “Serbia must answer for genocide in Croatia and pay war reparations.”

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Retired General Željko Sačić, one of the organizers of the protest, informed those present that their protest gathering at St. Mark’s Square was banned, even though they had properly notified the police of the gathering.

He announced that the protesters would go to Kamenita vrata after the gathering, as far as they could, to make their voices heard. After the Croatian anthem was played, the protesters shouted “Betrayal, betrayal” to express their dissatisfaction with the police’s actions.

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The protest featured Croatian flags, flags of HOS and HSP, as well as flags from county veteran associations.

The president of the Association of Widows of Croatian Defenders from the Homeland War, Rozalija Bartolić, stated at a press conference on Friday that the protest “Truth into the Future” would express the dissatisfaction of widows and defenders with Vučić’s visit, as they believe that Croatia does not have a sincere and responsible interlocutor in Vučić for resolving numerous issues between the two countries.

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St. Mark’s Square is under heavy police blockade.