Zagreb, (IKA) – The Justice and Peace Commission of the Croatian Conference of Bishops held a regular session on Friday, February 8, at the Secretariat of the CCB in Zagreb. Bishop Vlado Košić presided. The Commission has achieved good cooperation with the corresponding commissions in the Slovenian and Bosnian-Herzegovian Bishops’ Conferences regarding the condemnation of crimes perpetrated at the end of World War II and immediately afterwards. Tragic mass slaughter occurred primarily on the territory of the Republic of Slovenia, where many burial sites have been found in recent years, particularly 2007. Up to now, over 500 burial sites have been found in which Partisan units executed tens of thousands of prisoners and civilians, of whom the greatest number were Croats from Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. The circumstances of these executions indicate that they unequivocally involved war crimes and crimes against humanity. The total institutional silence, especially the passivity of the judiciary bodies that have done nothing regarding the investigation and prosecution of the perpetrators of these crimes, is astonishing. Therefore, the Justice and Peace Commission of the CCB is again raising its voice and demanding that the appeal issued last year in Bleiburg, more precisely on May 13, 2007, by Cardinal Josip Bozanić to the competent authorities for undertaking an investigation and prosecution of the most massive crime against the Croatian nation in history, should be heeded. Since there is no statute of limitations on war crimes, it is unacceptable that the authorities are doing nothing regarding these communist crimes. At the same time persons are being prosecuted for war crimes committed during the recent Homeland War, which arouses suspicions that they are “concealing crimes,” (Statement by the Slovenian Justice and Peace Commission, dated October 1, 2001).
In a discussion of current questions in our society, the Commission expressed its support for the initiative known as “Circle for the Square,” i.e. restoring the former name of one of the most beautiful squares in Zagreb and thereby, at least symbolically, removing the name of Josip Broz Tito, who was responsible for the death of innocent victims and established a totalitarian system. The Commission has continued work on a document on protecting waters and the Adriatic Sea, which it began last year and in this context expressed its concern due to the increasing selling off of Croatian land, especially in Lika, which abounds in springs and clean rivers, and which should be preserved for future generations. The Commission is also of the opinion that great price increases are not necessary that directly threaten the living standard of Croatian citizens and urge all those competent to find a way to stop this. In international relations, the Commission supports the Government of the Republic of Croatia in its efforts to protect Croatian interests but also to continue on the path toward European integration. A particularly sensitive question is the functioning of the judiciary and the war against corruption, which undoubtedly must not only be a priority for the Croatian authorities but all citizens and the entire society of the Republic of Croatia.