President Milanović: We get lectured about being right wingers, yet Canadian Parliament gives standing ovation to member of SS Division from Ukraine
“The founding of the “Radić Brothers” brigade is a significant event in the history of the National Liberation War and here we pay tribute, deep reverence and remember brave people”, the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović stated at a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Šemovec, the liberation of the town of Ludbreg and the foundation of the “Radić Brothers” brigade.
“Those were very brave people. This brigade started from a Partisan unit on Kalnik mountain, and sustained severe losses in 1942. It was made up mostly of Serbs and Orthodox people from this area. People fled the terror, fear and nothingness of the Ustasha during the night”, President Milanović noted, recalling history and the events of that time.
“At that time the brigade attracted more and more local Croats, and it didn’t get its name by chance, which proves that the communists took the national issue into consideration. People weren’t counted and divided, but this was taken into consideration. It was very important to win over the Croats for the battle”, the President added, and in this context he mentioned some of the commanders of the brigade and the first Croatian President Tuđman who arrived in 1944 as deputy commissar of the brigade.
“Tuđman was a commissar and it’s not a shame, as it isn’t a shame what your parents did in socialism if they acted according to the law. Tuđman was no out of the ordinary antifascist, he was more than that. He was a person of trust and was proud of it. And he progressed due to his pride and dedication to it. That was the first Croatian President, but somehow there is an uncomfortable desire to disguise the fact that he was one of the organizers of all that and that he was a person with special authority and special status, not just anyone. And that is the history of the Croatian state. And the members of all political parties should be proud of that”, President Milanović stated, underlining that it is exceptionally important and good to know that in present-day Europe and the world in which, as he said, “revisionism, rather cynical affectation and lying pose a serious threat”.
“For thirty years we have been getting lectures from wise guys who have called us right wingers, Black Shirts, saying that Ustasha are marching in Croatia”, President Milanović continued, and warned about a recent event in the Canadian Parliament. “When I see today that the Canadian Parliament is giving a standing ovation and applauding to a ninety-five year old member of the SS Division from Ukraine, then I wonder what was that dear man doing the past fifty years in that state. That is present-day Europe and people are closing their eyes before such things in order to settle accounts on a global scale, and all of it is connected to the war in Ukraine that was attacked by Russia, and which has no justification. But, to try to disguise this by revitalization and justifying criminals and murderers, this isn’t the modern world to me, and I will always have the guts and courage to oppose this”, the President of the Republic said in concluding his address.
The Battle of Šemovec against the German and Ustasha forces occurred on 3 October 1943 and was until then the greatest battle in WWII in northwestern Croatia, one of the decisive battles to liberate the town of Ludbreg and prevent assistance from Varaždin from coming to the encircled enemy in Ludbreg. Hostile forces from Varaždin were stopped at Šemovec by the combatants of the 2nd Battalion of the “Radić Brothers” Brigade. Despite their numerical superiority and superiority in arms, the enemy sustained major losses and was forced to return to Varaždin. Seventy-six fighters were killed in the Battle of Šemovec and about 30 were wounded.
Speaking at the ceremony in the Batthayany Castle in addition to President Milanović were the president of the Association of Antifascist Fighters and Antifascists of the Municipality and Town of Ludbreg Zdravko Pahor, the President of SABA of the Republic of Croatia Franjo Habulin, the Mayor of Ludbreg and the delegate of the County Prefect of Varaždin County Dubravko Bilić and the County Prefect of Međimurje County Matija Posavec.
On the occasion of the Battle of Šemovec, the liberation of Ludbreg and the founding of the “Radić Brothers” brigade, the President of the Republic laid a wreath and lit a candle at the Memorila ossuary in the local cemetery of Ludbreg.
Alongside President Milanović was the Adviser to the President for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Tomislav Bušljeta