Vandalism reported at former concentration camp memorial on Pag Island

A religious cross located at the site of the former Slana and Metajna concentration camps on the Croatian island of Pag was vandalized. A group of youths reportedly painted the Orthodox cross in the colors of the Croatian flag, specifically using the checkerboard pattern associated with the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) and the Ustaše regime.

In addition to the cross, vandals used spray paint to draw part of the Croatian coat of arms on nearby rocks and wrote the abbreviation BDM, referring to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This incident follows previous acts of vandalism at the site, including the destruction of a memorial plaque dedicated to the victims of the camps in August.

Savo Štrbac, director of the Veritas Documentation Center, characterized the act as an insult to the victims of the Ustaše genocide and their descendants. He suggested the act was motivated by a desire to reject the historical significance of the site. Local officials in Novalja have previously faced scrutiny regarding the placement of memorials at these locations.