The Croatian delegation at the ongoing second annual session of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) in London has acknowledged that the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) committed genocide against Serbs, Večernje Novosti reports, citing sources close to the organization.
This marks the first time Croatia has officially acknowledged this since gaining independence.
The acknowledgment occurred on December 2, during a presentation by Zagreb’s representatives outlining plans to improve the Jasenovac Memorial Site in accordance with IHRA recommendations made last year.
These recommendations stemmed from dissatisfaction with the condition of the memorial site and Croatia’s general approach to commemorating WWII atrocities, observed by IHRA delegations during visits last year when Croatia hosted the session.
Following Zagreb’s presentation, the Austrian delegation directly questioned Croatia on whether it recognizes the long-proven genocide against Serbs at Jasenovac and across NDH territory.
The former director of the Jasenovac Memorial Site, Ivo Pejaković, had resigned previously, stating that he was instructed not to use the term genocide when referring to Serbian victims, unlike Jewish and Roma victims.
In response, Croatian delegation head Sara Lustig explicitly stated that no one could deny the genocidal nature of the NDH regime and the crimes committed against Serbs.
The delegations of the U.S., Israel, and Serbia requested Lustig to repeat this statement, which she did.
This declaration officially confirmed Croatia’s stance that the NDH committed genocide against the Serbian population living in its territory from 1941 to 1945.
This acknowledgment represents a significant shift compared to last year’s Croatian presidency of the IHRA, notes Večernje Novosti.
Among the recommendations given to Zagreb last year—initially withheld from the Croatian public—was a demand to clearly identify victims and perpetrators on panels outside the Jasenovac Museum, state explicitly that genocide was committed, and identify the perpetrators. Efforts to establish the exact number of victims by name were also encouraged.
The recommendations also suggested that Croatia apply for UNESCO heritage status for the Stone Flower monument at Jasenovac, designed by Bogdan Bogdanović.
Jilly Carr, a member of the British delegation, insisted on new terrain surveys to identify potential mass graves or uncover other historical artifacts.
Although historians doubt the existence of mass graves due to the site’s history of flooding, they believe it is possible to uncover items reflecting daily life in the camp, as well as potential weapons or tools used for torture.
The IHRA also recommended mapping all concentration camps within the NDH.
Source: RTRS
