Tickets for Thompson's concert sold out in less than two hours

Although the controversy surrounding Thompson's second concert at the Zagreb Arena continues, ticket sales for his concerts, which will be held in Zagreb, as well as in Varaždin, Zadar and Osijek, began at noon. All tickets in all cities were sold out in less than two hours.

Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević reiterated that there will be no additional concert by Marko Perković Thompson at the Arena, nor any future concerts, if there are unconstitutional Ustasha salutes at the concert on December 27, emphasizing that the City will adhere to the Constitution.

He emphasized that the Constitution states that the foundations of the state sovereignty of the Republic of Croatia were laid during the Second World War, expressed in opposition to the proclamation of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH), and are expressed in the decisions of ZAVNOH.

“Of course, the Constitution also mentions the victory in the Homeland War as one of the foundations of statehood, but it also emphasizes that the decision of ZAVNOH, made in opposition to the NDH, and not on its basis, is one of the key foundations of Croatian statehood,” said Tomašević.

He added that the only one who can interpret the Constitution is the Constitutional Court, recalling its decisions because "it is clearly being manipulated and spun".

“The Constitutional Court has expressed a clear position in several of its decisions that this is an Ustasha salute of the Independent State of Croatia and that this salute is not in accordance with the Constitution,” he said.

“We in the City of Zagreb will certainly adhere to the Constitution and in that sense this salute is unacceptable. We are legalists when it comes to the Constitution, as well as to the contracts that have been signed and to the rules that apply to all venues when it comes to concerts managed by city companies and institutions,” said Tomašević.

When asked why he signed two contracts with Thompson, one for a concert at the Hippodrome and the other for a concert at the Arena on December 27, if he knew that he was using the controversial greeting at the concerts, he repeated that the city authorities had given their consent and issued a permit for the handball players to be welcomed at Ban Jelačić Square, where neither the song "Čavoglave" nor the controversial greeting was played.

“We considered bans to be counterproductive and allowed the concert at the Hippodrome. Before that concert even took place, Zagreb Holding signed a contract for the concert at the Arena on December 27,” he added.

Habijan: Tomašević's announcement of a possible ban on Thompson's concert is hypocritical

Minister of Justice and Administration Damir Habijan said that the announcement by Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević about banning Thompson's second concert in Zagreb if the song Bojna Čavoglave is performed is hypocritical, emphasizing that Tomašević is thus parasitizing on ideological topics.

“Personally, I believe that bans are never good,” said Habijan to reporters' questions after a meeting of the leaders of the governing coalition on Tuesday at the government offices.

He emphasized that hypocrisy is at work, as in other matters when it comes to ideology.

Minister Habijan said that they are 'parasitizing on these topics in the absence of their own content, and this also applies to the Social Democratic Party, and in this case to the Možemo party.”

“Such ideological topics are being imposed that create dangerous divisions in Croatian society, and that is certainly not good. It is not good that any ban is being pushed in a democratic society, especially by those who are supporters of openness,” said Habijan.

Source: HRT