Anti-Cyrillic Protests In Croatia

The Anti- Cyrillic protests in Croatia were a series of protests in late 2013 against the application of bilingualism in Vukovar, whereby Serbian and the Serbian Cyrillic alphabet were assigned co-official status due to the local minority population. The implementation of this decision became mandatory after the 2011 Croatian census, according to which Serbs in Vukovar comprise more than one-third (34.8%) of Vukovar's total population. Signs in the Serbian Cyrillic alphabet had been put up as the Constitutional Act on the Rights of National Minorities mandates bilingual signs in any area where more than one-third of the population belongs to an ethnic minority. This decision became subject of intense agitation by, among others, Croatian war veterans and many ordinary citizens who believe that due to events, particularly the Battle of Vukovar, the city should have been excluded from the application of the law on minority rights, although protests and vandalism have occurred in other towns and cities (i.e. Split, Dubrovnik, etc). The Serbs of Croatia are a minority group that have the narrowest usage of right to bilingualism among all national minorities in Croatia.

A group called ''HQs for defense of Croatian Vukovar'' initiated protest rallies on 2 September, as soon as the placement of the signs written in both the Latin and the Cyrillic scripts began in Vukovar. With protests in Vukovar, in April 2013 there were also organized protests in Zagreb's main square with around 20,000 participants. Parallel protests were held in Tovarnik, Bogdanovci, Lovas, and Nuštar. A number of signs in the Serbian Cyrillic alphabet were torn down, others were smashed with hammers, and protesters clashed with the police, leaving four police officers slightly injured. Some of supporters not directly connected to the protesters organized actions of writing pro-fascist Ustaše graffiti on the Orthodox Church of the Holy Annunciation in Dubrovnik and in Zadar.

On 12 August 2014 the Constitutional Court of Croatia decided that referendum proposal on the restriction of the use of minority languages in such a way to increase the required proportion of total population to 50%, is unconstitutional. The City Council of Vukovar was required to regulate the use of minority languages in its statute within a year after the court decision. The Government of Croatia was required to define the legal mechanisms for cases when the representative bodies of local self-government do not implement the obligations under the Law regarding minority languages. National authorities competent for implementation of laws on minority languages were instructed not to implement the Law in the City of Vukovar by use of coercive measures until the government of Croatia fulfills its obligation.

In April 2015 the United Nations Human Rights Committee urged Croatia to ensure the right of minorities to use their language and alphabet. Committee report stated that particularly concerns the use of Serbian Cyrillic in the town of Vukovar and municipalities concerned. Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić said that his country welcomes the UN Human Rights Committee's report.

On 17 August 2015, under requirement of the Constitutional Court of Croatia, the City Council of Vukovar decided to amend the city statute in such a way as not to provide bilingual signs in Latin and Cyrillic scripts at official town buildings, institutions, squares and streets. The Council of Europe stated its regret about this decision. The decision was taken by MPs from Croatian Democratic Union and Croatian Democratic Alliance of Slavonia and Baranja while MPs from Social Democratic Party of Croatia, Independent Democratic Serb Party and Croatian People's Party – Liberal Democrats left the session at which the decision was taken. The Ministry of Public Administration announced that it would overturn the decision if it is established to be contrary to the constitution.

The local civic society ''The city, that's us too'' suggested that the dispute could be resolved by putting on the right side of the entrance to local government buildings a sign in Croatian Latin script, and on the left side a sign in the languages and scripts of ethnic minorities living in Vukovar.

Reactions

Croatia

Opposition

*Croatian President Ivo Josipović joined in the condemnation of the events in Vukovar, saying that an added effort must be invested to prevent violence and tensions. "We have the law which goes toward full respect of the national minorities. All relevant political parties in Croatia took part in passing this law," Josipovic said.
*Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanović condemned "chauvinist violence", saying it will not take down signs in Cyrillic in Vukovar as the "rule of law must prevail".
*Former Croatian President Stjepan Mesić claimed the protests in Zagreb were not ... a democratic expression of different opinions, but of intolerance... The appearance of people in military uniforms at such place ... clearly violate state law. If we consider publicly and unambiguously imposed threats that they will by using force prevent implementation of duties that every citizen and every institution is obligatory to do by Constitution, Sunday gathering at main square look like blow to the constitutional and legal order of our country.
*Vukovar mayor Željko Sabo, a veteran of the Yugoslav Wars, who had been imprisoned in Serbia, appealed for people to stay calm and "not let Vukovar become Beirut".
*Croatian foreign minister Vesna Pusić said that Croatians "must and can" obey Croatian laws and said that government must stand firm on the minorities legislation.
* Dragan Crnogorac, president of Joint Council of Municipalities, expressed concern and regret over events in Vukovar and rest of Croatia. He said that these events create a negative atmosphere directed towards the Serbian community and the Cyrillic alphabet. In this way, they undermines everything that has been achieved in previous years in building tolerance and cohabitation among Serbs and Croats.
*Bojan Glavašević, son of Croatian reporter Siniša Glavašević

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