Photo: Nikola Solic/AP PhotoSerbian President Aleksandar Vučić wanted to go privately, with television crews, from Republika Srpska to Jasenovac and light a candle for the Serbs who died in the camp. He did not consider it necessary that, as the president of the state, he should officially inform Zagreb about this in advance. Due to the violation of procedures, the Croatian authorities did not grant him entry into Croatia and raised doubts about his good intentions. They say that he announced his arrival in the short term and indirectly with the intention of not letting him into Croatia so that he could play the victim at home. Sharp reactions are coming from Belgrade
The Croatian authorities did not allow the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, to visit Jasenovac and Pakrac "privately". As reported by Jutarnji list on Sunday morning, the President of Serbia, ahead of the visit he had planned, contacted the President of the Independent Democratic Serbian Party (SDSS) Milorad Pupovac. He told him that he would come to Jasenovac and that he could join him, and "if he deems it necessary" he could inform the Croatian government about the visit. Pupovac did that.
According to the Croatian authorities, official Zagreb "informally" learned that Vučić will come to Jasenovac, which, Croatian media explain, is a violation of all diplomatic protocols and procedures.
Every state protocol and security know how complicated cross-border visits of heads of state and government are, they have to be planned in advance, even if the Austrian chancellor wants to "privately" jump to Germany.
"Jutarnji list" sources from the Croatian government state that Vučić wanted to cross the border from Bosnia and Herzegovina, i.e. its entity Republika Srpska, without an official announcement to the Croatian authorities and without coordination with the embassy, and arrived in Jasenovac around 11 a.m., and then around 14 p.m. hours in Pakrac.
Malicious provocation
In Croatia, Vučić believes that by announcing in the short term that he wanted to visit the Jasenovac memorial complex, he intended to provoke the Croatian side ahead of the anniversary of the "Storm" on August 4, "so that he could play the victim in his country, because the Croats did not allow him to enter the country ".
It is said that "he did not respect any protocol, he wanted to do everything without the procedure and rules of diplomatic relations." He wanted to cross the border with his TV crew and do what he wanted here." They added that Vučić is not negligent, and that this is not an act that contributes to the normalization of relations. They reminded that all state officials during their visit are obliged to visit agreements with the hosts.
Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman explained that it is "unacceptable" that Croatia was not informed officially about Vučić's visit, and that it is "ill-intentioned". "We think that it is not sincere, that it is not showing piety." We consider this a provocation...Sir, this is not going to the sea".
"The biggest scandal" of Serbian-Croatian relations
After the news that he will not be allowed to enter Croatia due to violation of the rules and procedures of interstate relations, Vučić briefly said on his Instagram profile that "only you do your job", adding that the Serbian people will live and "will never forget". He will talk more about this on Monday.
As usual, his party colleagues, ministers and the prime minister were harsher than the "conciliatory Vučić". Ana Brnabić assessed that the decision of the Croatian authorities is "the biggest scandal in the modern history of Croatia and Serbia". "In shock" she added that this scandal speaks more about Croatia "as a country of the European Union", with the comparison that it would be like if someone forbade the president of Israel to visit Auschwitz.
Vulin's threats
Minister of the Interior Aleksandar Vulin announced a special regime for officials of the Republic of Croatia in the future. All officials of the Croatian state, holders of official or diplomatic passports will have to separately announce and justify their visit or passage through Serbia and will additionally be placed "under a special regime of control". This will be the case, says Vulin, as long as he is the Minister of Police or until "Croatia starts behaving as if it is not NDH".
Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selaković also spoke urgently at the press conference. For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Croatia's decision is "terrifying", "illegal, anti-European and anti-civilizational".
Racing in resentment
The Minister of Mining and Energy, Zorane Mihajlović, also reacted, canceling her official visit to Zagreb.
Defense Minister Nebojša Stefanović announced that "the Croatian government's decision is the biggest shame in Europe after World War II", and Zagreb's move was condemned by Culture Minister Maja Gojković, Minister without Portfolio Nenad Popović and Infrastructure Minister Tomislav Momirović.
Support for Vučić also came from the opposition - his former Serbian Radical Party, POKS and the Serbian Party Zavetnici.
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