Plenković urges calm amid veterans’ protests against liberal festivals

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on Thursday called for calm after Homeland War veterans protested two liberal-themed festivals in Benkovac and Šibenik.

The Benkovac event was canceled following strong criticism from veterans who opposed what they described as provocative anti-war themes. Attention has since shifted to an alternative festival in Šibenik, which veterans say they object to because it is financed with public funds.

Plenković emphasized the need to reduce tensions while defending the right to free expression.

“We are appealing for the lowering of tensions. We believe that anyone whose messaging is discriminatory or working to radicalize Croatian society is on the wrong path,” he said.

The prime minister acknowledged veterans’ frustrations over remarks by the Benkovac organizers but noted that the organizers themselves admitted they “went a bit too far.”

“In the Homeland War, Croatia fought for democratic values and for freedom, so that no one can be told what they are allowed to write, speak, or think,” he said.

Culture Minister Nina Obuljen Koržinek also defended the role of the arts, stressing that the government has invested more in culture than any previous administration — including direct support for artists tackling sensitive or controversial themes.

Meanwhile, members of Croatia’s arts community criticized the government for allowing the protests to escalate, arguing that it undermines cultural freedom.