The European Commission has reacted to the pro-Nazi salute at the major concert of Croatian singer Marko Perkovic-Thompson in Zagreb, and the support given to him by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.
"We strongly condemn any expression of fascism that reminds us of the darkest times in European history," the European Commission said in a response to the Croatian media outlet "index".
In addition to the pro-Nazi salute, the commission also condemned the stance of Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who after the concert stated that the salute is part of Thompson's repertoire and that everyone is proud of the concert.
"At EU level, there is a framework decision on the punishment of racism and xenophobia, which obliges member states to criminalize hate speech. This includes public incitement to violence or hatred against individuals or groups based on race, colour, religion, descent or national or ethnic origin," the commission's response states.
On Saturday, over half a million people gathered in Zagreb for a major concert by Perkovic, who is known for his songs with a nationalistic approach.
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One of his famous songs begins with a greeting "For the homeland - Ready", which was used by the junta regime in Croatia during the Nazi era.
Perkovic, whose stage name is Thompson after the American gun, has said his songs, which many consider controversial and inflammatory, are “evidence of the end of an era.” He said they are linked to the end of Croatia’s war and its declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia. The 90s war erupted when local Serbs, backed by Serbia, sought to secede from Croatia and unite with Serbia.
Perkovic's fame in Croatia, as the Associated Press has written, reflects the preservation of nationalist sentiment even 30 years after the war.
Troops called the Ustasa in Croatia killed tens of thousands of Serbs, Jews and Roma in concentration camps across the country. Despite the documented atrocities, some nationalists still see the leaders of the Ustasa regime as the founders of the independent Croatian state.
The Croatian "Vecernji List" wrote that the organization remained in the shadow of the regime's greeting that approved the "mass execution of people."
Meanwhile, regional television "N1" has emphasized that whatever interpretation may be given to the salute, it undoubtedly refers to the Ustasa regime. As this medium wrote, while the Germans have made a clear separation from everything related to Nazism "to prevent distorted interpretations and a return to the dark past.... Croatia is not even close to this, not even in 2025".
In Serbia, President Aleksandar Vučić has criticized Perković's concerts, calling them "a display of support for Nazism." Former Serbian President Boris Tadić said the concert was a disgrace to Croatia and the European Union because it "glorifies the murder of people from a nation, in this case Serbia."
Croatia joined the EU in 2013.
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Croatian police said Perkovic's concert was the biggest ever.
No major incidents have been reported.
