SERBIA: President Tadic Divides Nation By Apologising To Croats

AKI ^ | 6/25/07

[Valin]

Belgrade, 25 June (AKI) - Serbian president Boris Tadic has deeply divided the nation and triggered a storm of criticism by apologising to neighbouring Croatia for war crimes committed by his co-nationals during the bloody breakup of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. On the margins of the Southeast Europe energetic summit in Zagreb on Sunday, Tadic told Croatian television in an interview: "I apologise to all citizens of Croatia and the Croatian people who were made unhappy by members of my people and assume responsibility for it," he said.

Tadic earlier apologised to Bosnians for war crimes committed by Bosnian Serb forces and his Zagreb statement triggered an avalanche of criticism in the press and by opposition politicians. "Shame" – said Belgrade daily Kurir in a front page banner, adding that "there is no end to the humiliation" to which Tadic exposes Serbs.

Tadic was the first major Serbian politicians to apologise for the crimes committed in the 1990s Balkan wars, but the Serbian public generally believes that other leaders in the countries created after the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia should also apologise for crimes against Serbs.

Aleksandar Vucic, secretary-general of the Serbian Radical Party, the biggest parliamentary group, blasted Tadic for "admitting something that objectively doesn’t exist." Vucic said. He pointed out that Croatia should apologise for killing 700,000 Serbs in World War Two only in Jasenovac concentration camp and for expelling half a million Serbs in 1995, after it seceded from the former Yugoslavia. If anything, Tadic owes an apology to the Serbian people, he concluded.

The leaders of the opposition Socialist Party of Serbia also described Tadic’s apology as a "great disappointment," saying Serbs were not the only ones that committed crimes in the Balkan wars, but there were no apologies from the others.

Prime minister Vojislav Kostunica’s Democratic Party of Serbia declined to comment, but most non-governmental organisations backed Tadic’s apology saying it was a wise move. G-17 Plus - one of the parties forming the new unity government together with Kostunica’s and Tadic’s parties - also termed his apology as a “a gesture of good statesmanship."

“I would like the Balkan leaders to have a little less pride and make more effort to assume responsibility for what some have done,” Tadic said in the interview.

Vojin Dimitrijevic, director of Belgrade Centre for human rights, said Tadic’s apology was welcome and there should be more such examples. “But I wouldn’t like to be in Tadic’s shoes now,” Dimitrijevic said.

[montag813]

How strongly did Condi blackmail him to make this silly apology?

[sageb1]

“Serbs were not the only ones that committed crimes in the Balkan wars, but there were no apologies from the others.”

Of course not. The others don’t want to relinquish their victim mentality.

[Hoplite]

Been here, done this.

[ZULU]

Probably as much as Bush bribed Kyl to support Amensty.

Balkan Christians should unite in the face of a real common danger - ISLAM.

[eleni121]

Balkan Christians should unite in the face of a real common danger - ISLAM.

---

Truer words never spoken ZULU!

And they need to realize (and remember) that the “west” and its secular tendencies will not be an ally either.

The real “West” is not secular, but a Judaeo Christian civilization. Unless they regain and rediscover this most important reality, they an we are doomed.

[DTA]

During 1991-95, Serbs were ethnically cleansed from the territories where they survived Genocide in WWII. Tadic should know that because his grandfather was murdered by Croatian Nazis.

Forcible secession of Croatia was against the international law. Croatia never apologized for murdering members of federal army, nbever apologized for murdering Serbs -Croatian citizens. Croatia also never apologized for armed agression on Bosnia and Hercegovina and murder of Serb civilians who were Bosnian citizens.

Can anyone in his right mind think of president of Israel apologizing to the Germany?

While he is in this mood, perhaps Tadic can apologize to Germany for two World Wars and to Turkey for defeat in Balkan wars. /sarcasm off.

[LjubivojeRadosavljevic]

[”Vucic said. He pointed out that Croatia should apologise for killing 700,000 Serbs in World War Two only in Jasenovac concentration camp...”]

Valin: That’s a “strawman argument” (above)...if you follow the arguments of some individuals in this forum.

[FormerLib]

So drop your pancake-flipping spatula and run for the Dhimmi kneepads already!