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Milorad Pupovac condemns hate speech in Knin, calls for legal action
During the 31st anniversary of the 1995 Operation Oluja on 5 August in Knin, video recordings captured chants praising the Ustaše regime, anti‑Serb slogans and extremist symbols. MP Milorad Pupovac, president of the Independent Democratic Serb Party, held a press conference describing the chants as “a serious attack on constitutional values and democracy” and urged the police, the courts and the State Attorney’s Office (DORH) to act. He said, “What we heard in Knin is terrifying – it is an attack on every free‑thinking citizen, on every veteran and on the constitutional order.”
Civil organisations – the Center for Peace, the Antifascist League and Documenta – filed formal complaints with the Ministry of the Interior, DORH and the Ombudsman, accusing participants of publicly inciting violence and using symbols that violate the Croatian Constitution. The groups warned that failure to act endangers the constitutional order and democratic values.
Veterans’ association “Branitelji Together” defended the celebration as peaceful and dignified, supporting Minister of Veterans Tomo Medved and rejecting Pupovac’s accusations, stating that isolated shouts cannot be used to label the event extremist. Medved said, “The celebration was peaceful, dignified and without any form of violence.”
The State Attorney’s Office replied that, to date, no criminal complaints have been filed regarding the Knin incident and it will not comment on political statements. The episode has sparked a broader debate in Croatia over the limits of free speech, the legacy of Operation Oluja and the enforcement of hate‑speech laws.
Entities
Croatian Constitution · Croatian Police · Knin · Milorad Pupovac · Operation Oluja · Operation Oluja · Operation Storm anniversary · Serbian National Council · State Attorney's Office (DORH) · State Attorney's Office of Croatia (DORH) · State Attorney’s Office (DORH) · Tomo Medved
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] He criticised the police, the State Attorney’s Office (DORH) and the courts for insufficient response to the incidents. www.dalmacijadanas.hr · www.dnevno.hr
- [● 3 SOURCES] The conference addressed recordings of chants and messages heard on 5 August 2026 in Knin during the Operation Storm anniversary celebrations. www.dalmacijadanas.hr · www.dnevno.hr
- [● 3 SOURCES] Milorad Pupovac, president of the SDSS and a Croatian MP, held an extraordinary press conference at the Serbian National Council in Zagreb on 7 August 2026. www.dalmacijadanas.hr · www.dnevno.hr
- [● 3 SOURCES] Pupovac warned that such hate speech should be treated as a matter of national importance. www.dalmacijadanas.hr · www.dnevno.hr
- [● 3 SOURCES] He condemned the glorification of the NDH as not patriotism. www.dalmacijadanas.hr · www.dnevno.hr
- [● 3 SOURCES] Pupovac described the messages as anti‑constitutional, hate speech and an attack on democracy, the Constitution of Croatia, veterans and citizens. www.dalmacijadanas.hr · www.dnevno.hr
- [● 3 SOURCES] The recordings showed a column of supporters and veterans marching in Knin and a performance by Marko Skejo in a restaurant. www.dalmacijadanas.hr · www.dnevno.hr