Croatia Creates Panel to Study Its Pro-Nazi, Communist Past

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) — Croatia’s conservative government has formed a council to deal with the country’s pro-Nazi and Communist regimes during the 20th century, in a bid to overcome the deep divisions that still exist over the nation’s past.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said Thursday that “Croatia is still facing the consequences of the heritage of the non-democratic regimes.” He adds “there are different interpretations of the past, which are not always based on scientific research and expert discussions.”

The government move has faced criticism from liberals and Jewish groups, who argued that it treats as equal Croatia’s pro-Nazi World War II regime and its postwar Communist leadership.

Tens of thousands of Serbs, Jews and Roma were killed in Croatia’s World War II state before the country became part of the post-WWII Communist-run Yugoslavia.Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.