Margaret Thatcher passed away on 8 April 2013. One of her greatest achievements came when she was no longer Prime Minister. She came out in support of recognising and arming Croatia in 1991 when Serbia had invaded and she did the same for Bosnia-Hercegovina when Belgrade turned its aggression onto that country. In so doing she helped focus international onto who was the aggressor. She played her role in combating the return of genocide to Europe. (Brian Gallagher, London)
Category: Politics
Oleh Hirnyk translated Hrvoje Kacic's monograph from Croatian into Ukrainian and published in Kyiv 2013
Mr. Oleh Hirnyk translated an important monograph by Dr. Hrvoje Kačić, Serving My Country (U službi domovine), from Croatian into Ukrainian. The Ukrainian title is Hrvats’ki proriv (Croatian Break Through). The monograph has an extensive preface to the book, written by the translator, revealing many little known details from the history of relations between Croatia and Ukraine. The book has been published in 2013 in Kyiv, and we congratulate Mr. Oleh Hirnyk and the Ukrainian publisher Tempora on great job. The book was previously translated from Croatian into English, Castillian, German, and now into Ukrainian.
Prof.dr. Kresimir Cosic: Kako smo promijenili tijek rata Operacijom ZIMA 94
Hrvatski general prof.dr. Krešimir Ćosić opisuje povijesna događanja vezana uz tzv. Prvu bihaćku krizu i njenu povezanost s operacijom “Zima ’94”, koja su gotovo su potpuno nepoznata široj javnosti. Međutim, može se reći da je Hrvatska vojska upravo tom operacijom neizravno spriječila pad Bihaća i tragediju civilnog pučanstva srebreničkih razmjera još u zimi 1994., … Sjećanja, činjenice i izvorni dokumenti svjedoče o tome kako je Hrvatska vojska još krajem 1994. braneći Hrvatsku, u suradnji s 5. korpusom Armije BiH branila i obranila Bosnu i Hercegovinu. Članak opisuje i razgovore hrvatskih generala Janka Bobetka i Krešimira Ćosića u Pentagonu.
Karolina Vidovic Kristo distinguished Croatian journalist on HTV
Karolina Vidović Krišto is producing an excellent program for Croatian diaspora, for which she deserves our deep gratitude. She is engaged, among others, in defending human rights of children in Croatia, and promoting deeper ties between Croatia and its diaspora. Her professionalism and honorable engagement ranks her among the leading figures on Croatian Television – Hrvatska televizija (HTV).
Jeffrey Kuhner, The Washington Times – Croatia’s national independence finally has been secured
Croatia’s national independence finally has been secured. This is the real meaning of the recent ruling by the U.N. war crimes court in The Hague to overturn the conviction of Croatian Gen. Ante Gotovina. Gen. Gotovina embodies Croatia’s struggle for independence. Gen. Gotovina’s actions effectively smashed Belgrade’s campaign of mass killings and ethnic cleansing. No one – neither the European Union, the United Nations nor NATO – did more to end the savage fighting in Croatia and Bosnia than Gen. Gotovina. Rather than being a war criminal, he is a great Croatian patriot and hero.
Brian Gallagher: a historic day – the Croatian diaspora can take pride in its support of Croatian generals
Brian Gallagher: Certainly there were those outside Croatia who also supported the generals. I will single out here the former adviser to Margaret Thatcher, Robin Harris. He helped raise the profile of the case and was forthright in support. That was quite brave; believing in the innocent of alleged war criminals is not necessarily a very popular thing to do. The Croatian diaspora can take pride in its support. Indeed, Croatian Americans took part in the defence – Luka Misetic and Tom Kuzmanovic. And from Canada was Ana Katalinic, the Gotovina case manager.
Petar Janjic – Tromblon defendor of Vukovar and Croatia in 1991 and twenty years after
Petar Janjić nicknamed Tromblon, was an active participant of the defense of Vukovar in 1991, and survived infamous concentration camps in Serbia. He is speaking about his life and about Croatian defenders in his important and unique autobiographic book about the 1991 Vukovar tragedy, entitled “Žedni krvi gladni izdaje” (Those Thirsty of Blood and Hungry of Treason). He is openly and very courageously describing some of the current problems of contemporary Croatia.
Ante Gotovina and Mladen Markach with their families in Croatia after seven years of grave injustice in the Hague
We are pleased to send our cordial greetings to Mr. Ante Gotovina, Mr. Mladen Markač, Mr. Slobodan Praljak, Mr. Dario Kordić, and their families, in the name of the readers of the CROWN. They are all defenders of European values and true Croatian ambassadors in the EU. Croatian general Mr. Ante Gotovina contributed enormously to the dignity of Europe during the operation STORM in 1995, which according to distinguished Croatian humanist Dr. Slobodan Lang, was the first ever military action that prevented genocide.
Kenneth Merten is named new U.S. Ambassador to Croatia
Kenneth Merten, the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia, presented his credentials to President Ivo Josipović on October 30, 2012. Kenneth Merten is a career member of the senior Foreign Service; he joined the diplomatic corps in 1987 and most recently served as Ambassador to Haiti. He also served as a Deputy Executive Secretary to U.S. Secretary of State Clinton and earlier to U.S. Secretary of State Rice. He was awarded the 2011 Ryan C. Crocker Award for Outstanding Leadership in Expeditionary Diplomacy for his extraordinary leadership in the wake of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Christophe Dolbeau wrote a new important book about French – Croatian historical relations
The newest book by Christophe Dolbeau is written in French, and its title is Croatie – France, Une Belle Amitié , i.e. France – Croatia, a Nice Friendship . It reveals us many new details about various historical contacts between Croatia and France. It has 138 pp, and covers the period since the Middle Ages till the 19th century. This book will be a wonderful gift to anybody wishing to known more about Croatia in the context of European relations throughout centuries, with a special reference to France.
Ljubica Stefan 1921-2002 Croatian Righteous, courageous historian and publicist
With this article we commemorate 10 years since the death of Ljubica Štefan, distinguished Croatian intellectual, exceptionally courageous historian and publicist, recipient of the medal of Righteous among the Nations from Yad Vashem. On 17 March 2012 the Holy Mass has been served in her memory by Rev. Josip Kuhtić in the Zagreb Cathedral, assisted by Mons. Dr. Juraj Batelja. She risked her life living in Belgrade until 1992, and publishing her books in Zagreb under several pseudonims during the Serbian aggression on Croatia and BiH (Bosnia and Herzegovina). In 1992 she left Belgrade leaving there literally all her property. The Prize of Ljubica Štefan has been established in her honour in Zagreb in 2009 for exceptional publicist and scientific work.
NFCACF Supports New Visa Waiver Program Reform Legislation in US Congress
The National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural Foundation (NFCACF) has announced it’s full support for reform of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) which would include Croatia’s participation. In a recent letter to the US Senate Judiciary Committee, NFCACF President Bill Vergot cited full support for S. 2046 as another “crucial milestone for the growing relationship between our two countries. The ‘Visa Waiver Program Enhanced Security and Reform Act of 2012’ would enable Croatia to soon join the VWP.
REFERENDUM AFTER THE FINAL VERDICT FOR CROATIAN GENERALS
The Geneva convention states that: ”Nothing in this Protocol shall be invoked for the purpose of affecting the sovereignty of a State or the responsibility of the Government, by all legitimate means, to maintain or re-establish law and order in the State or to defend the national unity and territorial integrity of the State.”! In stark contrast to these proclamations, the EU punished Croatia by abolishing the Phare programme on only the second day of the liberating military operation “Storm”, calling upon false accounts of excessive shelling of Knin. Following on from this logic, the prosecution of the ICTY indicted the Croatian Generals and fabricated the legal norm of a “joint criminal enterprise” so that it would be able to charge the entire Croatian civil and military leadership. …
Nigel Farage speaking about Europe, EU and Croatia
Nigel Farage
VUKOVAR 1991 – 2011 CRIME WITHOUT PUNISHMENT – ZLOEIN BEZ KAZNE
Remember Vukovar!
Law for cooperation with Croats outside of the Republic of Croatia
The final draft of the law regarding cooperation with Croats outside of Croatia has been published. This new law is a completely new approach in regulating relations between Croatia and Croats outside Croatia in the fields of culture, education, economics, and sports. This new law has yet to be ratified by the Croatian Sabor and is slated to be voted on in the coming weeks.
The EU Accession Treaty for Croatia has been published
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk officially delivered Croatia’s EU accession treaty text to the head of the Croatian government, prime minister Jadranka Kosor, at a ceremony in Zagreb on September 17 2011. The Croatian government has published the treaty and posted it online. Croatia plans to sign the treaty in December 2011 and it will need to be ratified by the EU members. Croatia would also need to hold a referendum on joining the EU.
Badinter Committee decided on factual recognition of Croatia on 7 September 1991
Robert Badinter is French lawyer, university professor and politician. Badinter’s arbitration commission, established by the European Community, stated that Croatia and Slovenia acquired their sovereignty on 7 September 1991 , and from that date Croatia and Slovenia are independent and sovereign states.
Visnja Anic's 1991 letters from Croatia to M. Thatcher, H-D. Genscher, H. Kohl, and A. Mock
The letters by Višnja Anić, professor of English and German, Zagreb, illustrate some of endeavours of Croatian intellectuals in the defense of Croatia from Serbian aggression that started in 1991. She was then employed at the Foreign Languages School in Zagreb. She is also a talented artist, who introduced the concept of “painting with the sea” with her husband.
PRIJEDLOG ZAKONA O ODNOSIMA REPUBLIKE HRVATSKE S HRVATIMA IZVAN REPUBLIKE HRVATSKE
Ustavom Republike Hrvatske utvrđena je ustavna obveza Republike Hrvatske da štiti prava i interese svojih državljana koji žive ili borave u inozemstvu i promiče njihove veze s domovinom. Temeljito pročitajte dokument, proširite ga, pošaljite prijateljima koji imaju ideje i znaju ih napisati. Predugo smo čekali ovakav dokument da bi prošao samo kao jedna od točaka na Saborskim sjednicama. Dakle, radi se o dokumentu koji će se pretočiti u zakon, i tu smo u prilici sugerirati, savjetovati, tražiti i obrazlagati sve što nas tišti, što nam nedostaje, što mozemo poboljšati, pojednostaviti te ubrzati procese sjedinjenja dijaspore i matice domovine. Idejni začetnik dokumenta je Dr. Ivan Bagarić.