Tadić apologizes to Croatian citizens

I expect nothing less from an American puppet who cares more about making his foreign masters happy than his own. I wonder if Tadic cares about the fact that the Croats will never apologize for what they did to the Serbs in Croatia. I doubt it. He did what his Western masters wanted him to do. But I also find this funny, apologizing to a country that just held a Nazi concert for 60,000 Croats who believe it's okay to listen to fascist music.

I'm sorry, but I have no respect for a country that holds a fascist concert with hundreds of people doing Hitler salutes, or they name streets after former Ustase.

Croatia is still stuck in the days of World War Two. It is evident from the recent concert and how their society seems to accept their admiration for their fascist past. How can you apologize to a nation like that? If anything, they should apologize for what they did in WW2 and in Krajina. Until then, there should be no apology. No matter how much the Western masters demand it.

This was a really brave thing to do and I would hope that leaders of the other countries involved in the Balkan wars will follow suit. Somehow I doubt Croatia will.

The headline doesn't seem quite accurate. The President apparently has apologised for the crimes committed in the war, not for the war as such. Still, it's a start...

I think it's about time he apologised to the people of Kosova too.

I honestly think that it is steps like this one that would help to build new bridges of mutual understanding, respect and cooperation. The little game too many Serbs are playing, even on this board: «We did to you what you did to me», in completely futile and lead no where. The Serbs have to ADMIT that their people «have tarnished the soul of the nation» by abusing in so many ways helpless women, children and men. Of course, Croats and Muslims have behaved in the same way against Serbs, and they will ADMIT their wrong doings only if the Serbs who are the aggressors, according to all observers, admit their horrendous atrocities, apologize and show real sorrow.

Mr Tadic's recognition of this terrible war, his expression of sadness, is the beginning of a true reconciliation between the two nations.

A step in the right direction!

Ridiculous and shameful. How can you apologize to a nation that has not even acknowledged or apologized, or been punished for the genocide committed against Serbs, Jews and Gypsies in WWII, or for the genocide in 1995 of the entire Serb population of Krajina. Croatia was actually rewarded by Tito for their genocide in WWII by giving them Istria, and refusing to make Krajina an autonomous region the way Vojvodina and Kosovo were. I realize Tadic is trying to play politics here, but this is unnecessary and a shameful move. I am sure Kostunica will never apologize to such people, he has more morals and character, and brains. All you have to do is to see the croat families doing the Heil Hitler salute at the Thompson concert in Zagreb last week to see who exactly Tadic is apologizing to. Shame.

Victor - The war was viewed as a civil war up and until the USA and EU decided which side to take. Beyond that point, it was convenient to paint a black and white situation with the big bad serbs oppressing everyone else.The reality is that it was a civil war started by a secessionist croatian movement, responded to by the JNA.

P.S you just contradicted yourself. i.e. the Serbian attitude according to you is, "We did to you what you did to me", and then a few lines later describing Croatian attitudes "and they will ADMIT their wrong doings only if the Serbs who are the aggressors, according to all observers, admit their horrendous atrocities, apologize and show real sorrow."

ONe rule for the Serbs and another for the Croats Victor?

PB, you did not understood my quotations. They are not mine. Often, I have read such comments made by Ida and other Serbs on this forum, or even by Serbs interviewed on television, and I quote: «We did to them what they did to us». Well, such a logic, nations and people remain on the level of accusations and don't move ahead.

Tadic apologized for what the Serbs did, and I am sure that the Croats will follow soon, will do the same, and will even apolozize for Jasenovac.

There is no other way out of gruesome past, if you don't want history to repeat itself very century.

I honestly could care less whether Croatia apologizes in kind or not. Tadic's gesture shows that Serbia is able to take the higher moral ground and address something that happened 15 years ago, whereas Croatia still cannot face something 60 years ago. My hat goes off to President Tadic for doing his part. The ball in now in Croatia's court to respond.

Apologise to the people of Kosovo aswell? What should he apologise for? Milosovic was trying to protect the Serb minority a little too harshly but the idea was correct, drive out the KLA and stop the destruction of Serb property.

Apologizes are just cheap political marketing and some mind game between all sides,probably arranged by some US envoy in order to try to make it look like hate and war is over. In reality someone who lost member(s) of family,friends, house, future regardless of religion,race , nationality do not give a 5 cent on this. Apologizes? do you really think that people care after all? Do you think that all of us(Serbs,Croats, Albanians,Muslims...) will say OK that is it lets move on? I dont think so.

Blacky, Dragan and Vlajko have hit the nail on the head! I would like to go a step further and say that words are meaningless, action shows true intent. When Tadic was elected I told my relatives in Serbia (many of them voted for him) that they just voted for a "good old American boy" that will do us (U.S.) proud. Frankly I could care less about a Croatian reciprocal apology, if they were serious about righting their wrongs the 300,000 Serbs that were ethnically cleansed from Croatia would be invited back at full expense of the Croatian government. Krajina would be given full autonomy or better yet independence and likewise with southern Dalmatia which was never part of Croatia. That would be a real apology!

We did to them what they did to us». Well, such a logic, nations and people remain on the level of accusations and don't move ahead.

I agree 100% with this point. The only thing I will add is that it is wrong for a person of any ethnicity to be held responsible for crimes committed by others. Hence all Serbs or Croats cannot be held accountable for 1991-92 or Jasenovac. This is just common sense and when applied to another world issue becomes obvious. For example, should 300 million Americans be collectively guilty of the crime of torture at Guantanamo Bay? Even those who are against this policy can do nothing to change it.

An individual's actions are his or her own and only political manipulators would lead you to beleive otherwise.

Good Job Tadic!!!! I, for one, support you completely in your statement.

It doesn’t matter if the Croatians glorify their Ustashe past, apologizing to innocent Croatian victims is 100% the right thing to do. It only shows we are far more politically mature then the rest of the region.

It also makes Tadic sound a lot more reasonable to the International Community when he talks about Kosovo. I know from my experience speaking with Albanians here that if you sincerely apologize and treat them as individuals, you will be judged as an individual in return.

Serbia needs to be much smarter about their image and how they present themselves on the World Stage.

We lost the war of the 90’s not because of an inferior army, but because of an inferior message from our politicians.

I believe Tadic will be the one to bring up partition, and he’s the most likely to be able to get the other side to listen to him.
Here’s a couple interesting items from his recent talks of compromise;

"Belgrade's BASIC position is maintaining Serbia's territorial integrity,"
"At the same time, we believe that in further talks (with Kosovo Albanian leaders) we could reach a compromise solution that would be acceptable to all,"
“Tadic did not say what compromise might be possible…”
http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2697811.ece
Tadic is a leader that knows how to talk to the West without abandoning Serbia’s core issues. He is our best chance of saving Kosovo and needs our undivided support.

I am curious to know what responsibility Tadic is taking? What does he mean when he says he's taking responsibility? Stating that he takes responsibility is not an empty phrase to the victims. They will want some kind of reparation and money from the Serbian state. That is the real responsibility, and now that Tadic is taking responsibility for what Serbia did I think that opens the way for the Croatians victim to ask and if they don't get it, sue for reparation. That way we won't be hearing just words, that are forgotten within the next week.

I think its a good start. Apology had to start with serbia since they clearly instigated the war.

Blacky, you say Croatia is stuck in WW2, whilst serbs to be the only ones talking about it. As I have said before, I am happy everything about ww2 coming out, because then cetnik crimes throughout Bosnia and Croatia can then come out. Oh lets not forget about Nedic's Serbia. Forgot about that?

And I will say it once more, the "ethnic cleansing" that serbs refer to in Krajina cannot be compared to anything else since the RSK leadership had been practicing for an evacuation a month before the operation and ordered an evacuation several days before the operation began. A bit different to physically forcing people out of their homes.

...Biljana (Srbljanovic)- I am SORRY...

Misa Kostic

Well all of you who are blasting the President should support him instead talking like people who don't want change instead of living in the past and further punish the citizen of Serbia. It is time to take responsiblity and move on in life. For those Radicals who chose to live in Miloslevic Era(Spelling) stay there and allow Serbia to move on. And to call Mr Tadic a puppet is disrespectfull and tasteless. I believe he is a man who will move Serbia for unless some coward decides try to end his life and will be the downfall for Serbia. For those who support Mr Tadic i surely do protect him at all cost those who want change.

Mike wrote:
" Tadic's gesture shows that Serbia is able to take the higher moral ground "

"Ding, ding, ding"......We have a winner here..

Even proud politicians from the Radical party, need to eat some humble pie, and realize through the footsteps of St. Sava, his forefathers, and his predecessors...that..
Humbleness, forgiveness, and generosity are what the Serbian nation was initially built on...
Serbs have gone so far out of their way to look for justice from previous injustices inflicted on them, that they've lost track of the morality which kept them on the world's "Respected List"...

It's a step in the right direction.

A lot of Serbs said that Serbia did not do any crimes in Croatia and so on, but YOUR OWN SERBIAN PRESIDENT APOLOGIZED for the crimes so therefore YOUR OWN president ackowledged the fact that Serbs did in fact do crimes.
Your own President Boris Tadic proved you serbs wrong about your claims about the crimes.

Aleksandar Vučić je prav.What next are they going to ask.Should Serbia say sorry for every having had the misfortune of existing in Croatia.I am not against appology but in this instance it needs to be reciprocal.Serbia is decaying from the inside all resulring from the empires bite.

I agree, this had to be done at some point. Look, war is hell. And when we argue about what side is responsible for a certain number of casualties against another, we're just gonna end up straight where we started: nowhere. And to prevent a future war, words like these out of Tadic's mouth need to be espoused more often by many more leaders. But I would be a fool to say that anything will ever be normal between Serbs and Croats. But, as hard as it is, we must look forward if Serbia is to survive as a prosperous nation. And I think Tadic, fortunately, gets the latter better than most. I mean, we don't have to like one another...we just have to respect one another. Northern Italians don't particularly like Southern Italians (Ideology). East Germans and West Germans have their differences too (WWII). The Irish and the English do as well (Religion). Even Southerners in the U.S. don't like those in the north (American Civil War). So this is normal. But we should just try to respect one another if possible...for our own benefit.

I think, because we are Christians, we must forgive somehow. And as people, we must realize that Croats and Serbs speak practically the same language and share practically the same culture. And when Djokovic is out there battling for Serbia, for "Yugoslavia," or whatever, I bet there's at least one Croat who is rooting for him. So I wouldn't spurn a man who wants to mend bridges. Give peace and prosperity a chance. For God's sake man give it a chance.

Arguably, the Serbs have been the aggressor in both Croatia and Bosnia in that they started the fight to keep Yugoslavia together. However, to say the same for what happened in Kosovo is simply not accurate. The Albanians instigated the Serbian reaction to their own (terrorists) activities in order to involve the west (NATO), so in that regard, no apoloties are neccessary.

There is no need for Croats to apologie to Serbs. Some Croat war criminals should put them on the trial and that's it. Croats didn't killed the Serb civilians, but Serbs killed Croat civilians.

Very brave step among a bunch that we are looking forward to see; let us point out Kosovo and Kosovars. In my opinion they should be next to be asked for apology, and simultaneously recognize independence of Kosovo. Finally, to get out from the nightmare that has collapsed Balkan.

Orthodox wrote : " because we are Christians, we must forgive somehow."
If you respect and care so much for Christianity, than explain us why Serbian forces in Croatia during the war had destroyed Catholic churches? Or (maybe) just Orthodox are real Christians?

I expect nothing less from an American puppet who cares more about making his foreign masters happy than his own. I wonder if Tadic cares about the fact that the Croats will never apologize for what they did to the Serbs in Croatia. I doubt it. He did what his Western masters wanted him to do. But I also find this funny, apologizing to a country that just held a Nazi concert for 60,000 Croats who believe it's okay to listen to fascist music.

I'm sorry, but I have no respect for a country that holds a fascist concert with hundreds of people doing Hitler salutes, or they name streets after former Ustase.

Croatia is still stuck in the days of World War Two. It is evident from the recent concert and how their society seems to accept their admiration for their fascist past. How can you apologize to a nation like that? If anything, they should apologize for what they did in WW2 and in Krajina. Until then, there should be no apology. No matter how much the Western masters demand it.

This was a really brave thing to do and I would hope that leaders of the other countries involved in the Balkan wars will follow suit. Somehow I doubt Croatia will.

The headline doesn't seem quite accurate. The President apparently has apologised for the crimes committed in the war, not for the war as such. Still, it's a start...

I think it's about time he apologised to the people of Kosova too.

I honestly think that it is steps like this one that would help to build new bridges of mutual understanding, respect and cooperation. The little game too many Serbs are playing, even on this board: «We did to you what you did to me», in completely futile and lead no where. The Serbs have to ADMIT that their people «have tarnished the soul of the nation» by abusing in so many ways helpless women, children and men. Of course, Croats and Muslims have behaved in the same way against Serbs, and they will ADMIT their wrong doings only if the Serbs who are the aggressors, according to all observers, admit their horrendous atrocities, apologize and show real sorrow.

Mr Tadic's recognition of this terrible war, his expression of sadness, is the beginning of a true reconciliation between the two nations.

A step in the right direction!

Ridiculous and shameful. How can you apologize to a nation that has not even acknowledged or apologized, or been punished for the genocide committed against Serbs, Jews and Gypsies in WWII, or for the genocide in 1995 of the entire Serb population of Krajina. Croatia was actually rewarded by Tito for their genocide in WWII by giving them Istria, and refusing to make Krajina an autonomous region the way Vojvodina and Kosovo were. I realize Tadic is trying to play politics here, but this is unnecessary and a shameful move. I am sure Kostunica will never apologize to such people, he has more morals and character, and brains. All you have to do is to see the croat families doing the Heil Hitler salute at the Thompson concert in Zagreb last week to see who exactly Tadic is apologizing to. Shame.

Victor - The war was viewed as a civil war up and until the USA and EU decided which side to take. Beyond that point, it was convenient to paint a black and white situation with the big bad serbs oppressing everyone else.The reality is that it was a civil war started by a secessionist croatian movement, responded to by the JNA.

P.S you just contradicted yourself. i.e. the Serbian attitude according to you is, "We did to you what you did to me", and then a few lines later describing Croatian attitudes "and they will ADMIT their wrong doings only if the Serbs who are the aggressors, according to all observers, admit their horrendous atrocities, apologize and show real sorrow."

ONe rule for the Serbs and another for the Croats Victor?

PB, you did not understood my quotations. They are not mine. Often, I have read such comments made by Ida and other Serbs on this forum, or even by Serbs interviewed on television, and I quote: «We did to them what they did to us». Well, such a logic, nations and people remain on the level of accusations and don't move ahead.

Tadic apologized for what the Serbs did, and I am sure that the Croats will follow soon, will do the same, and will even apolozize for Jasenovac.

There is no other way out of gruesome past, if you don't want history to repeat itself very century.

I honestly could care less whether Croatia apologizes in kind or not. Tadic's gesture shows that Serbia is able to take the higher moral ground and address something that happened 15 years ago, whereas Croatia still cannot face something 60 years ago. My hat goes off to President Tadic for doing his part. The ball in now in Croatia's court to respond.

Apologise to the people of Kosovo aswell? What should he apologise for? Milosovic was trying to protect the Serb minority a little too harshly but the idea was correct, drive out the KLA and stop the destruction of Serb property.

Apologizes are just cheap political marketing and some mind game between all sides,probably arranged by some US envoy in order to try to make it look like hate and war is over. In reality someone who lost member(s) of family,friends, house, future regardless of religion,race , nationality do not give a 5 cent on this. Apologizes? do you really think that people care after all? Do you think that all of us(Serbs,Croats, Albanians,Muslims...) will say OK that is it lets move on? I dont think so.

Blacky, Dragan and Vlajko have hit the nail on the head! I would like to go a step further and say that words are meaningless, action shows true intent. When Tadic was elected I told my relatives in Serbia (many of them voted for him) that they just voted for a "good old American boy" that will do us (U.S.) proud. Frankly I could care less about a Croatian reciprocal apology, if they were serious about righting their wrongs the 300,000 Serbs that were ethnically cleansed from Croatia would be invited back at full expense of the Croatian government. Krajina would be given full autonomy or better yet independence and likewise with southern Dalmatia which was never part of Croatia. That would be a real apology!

We did to them what they did to us». Well, such a logic, nations and people remain on the level of accusations and don't move ahead.

I agree 100% with this point. The only thing I will add is that it is wrong for a person of any ethnicity to be held responsible for crimes committed by others. Hence all Serbs or Croats cannot be held accountable for 1991-92 or Jasenovac. This is just common sense and when applied to another world issue becomes obvious. For example, should 300 million Americans be collectively guilty of the crime of torture at Guantanamo Bay? Even those who are against this policy can do nothing to change it.

An individual's actions are his or her own and only political manipulators would lead you to beleive otherwise.

Good Job Tadic!!!! I, for one, support you completely in your statement.

It doesn’t matter if the Croatians glorify their Ustashe past, apologizing to innocent Croatian victims is 100% the right thing to do. It only shows we are far more politically mature then the rest of the region.

It also makes Tadic sound a lot more reasonable to the International Community when he talks about Kosovo. I know from my experience speaking with Albanians here that if you sincerely apologize and treat them as individuals, you will be judged as an individual in return.

Serbia needs to be much smarter about their image and how they present themselves on the World Stage.

We lost the war of the 90’s not because of an inferior army, but because of an inferior message from our politicians.

I believe Tadic will be the one to bring up partition, and he’s the most likely to be able to get the other side to listen to him.
Here’s a couple interesting items from his recent talks of compromise;

"Belgrade's BASIC position is maintaining Serbia's territorial integrity,"
"At the same time, we believe that in further talks (with Kosovo Albanian leaders) we could reach a compromise solution that would be acceptable to all,"
“Tadic did not say what compromise might be possible…”
http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2697811.ece
Tadic is a leader that knows how to talk to the West without abandoning Serbia’s core issues. He is our best chance of saving Kosovo and needs our undivided support.

I am curious to know what responsibility Tadic is taking? What does he mean when he says he's taking responsibility? Stating that he takes responsibility is not an empty phrase to the victims. They will want some kind of reparation and money from the Serbian state. That is the real responsibility, and now that Tadic is taking responsibility for what Serbia did I think that opens the way for the Croatians victim to ask and if they don't get it, sue for reparation. That way we won't be hearing just words, that are forgotten within the next week.

I think its a good start. Apology had to start with serbia since they clearly instigated the war.

Blacky, you say Croatia is stuck in WW2, whilst serbs to be the only ones talking about it. As I have said before, I am happy everything about ww2 coming out, because then cetnik crimes throughout Bosnia and Croatia can then come out. Oh lets not forget about Nedic's Serbia. Forgot about that?

And I will say it once more, the "ethnic cleansing" that serbs refer to in Krajina cannot be compared to anything else since the RSK leadership had been practicing for an evacuation a month before the operation and ordered an evacuation several days before the operation began. A bit different to physically forcing people out of their homes.

...Biljana (Srbljanovic)- I am SORRY...

Misa Kostic

Well all of you who are blasting the President should support him instead talking like people who don't want change instead of living in the past and further punish the citizen of Serbia. It is time to take responsiblity and move on in life. For those Radicals who chose to live in Miloslevic Era(Spelling) stay there and allow Serbia to move on. And to call Mr Tadic a puppet is disrespectfull and tasteless. I believe he is a man who will move Serbia for unless some coward decides try to end his life and will be the downfall for Serbia. For those who support Mr Tadic i surely do protect him at all cost those who want change.

Mike wrote:
" Tadic's gesture shows that Serbia is able to take the higher moral ground "

"Ding, ding, ding"......We have a winner here..

Even proud politicians from the Radical party, need to eat some humble pie, and realize through the footsteps of St. Sava, his forefathers, and his predecessors...that..
Humbleness, forgiveness, and generosity are what the Serbian nation was initially built on...
Serbs have gone so far out of their way to look for justice from previous injustices inflicted on them, that they've lost track of the morality which kept them on the world's "Respected List"...

It's a step in the right direction.

A lot of Serbs said that Serbia did not do any crimes in Croatia and so on, but YOUR OWN SERBIAN PRESIDENT APOLOGIZED for the crimes so therefore YOUR OWN president ackowledged the fact that Serbs did in fact do crimes.
Your own President Boris Tadic proved you serbs wrong about your claims about the crimes.

Aleksandar Vučić je prav.What next are they going to ask.Should Serbia say sorry for every having had the misfortune of existing in Croatia.I am not against appology but in this instance it needs to be reciprocal.Serbia is decaying from the inside all resulring from the empires bite.

I agree, this had to be done at some point. Look, war is hell. And when we argue about what side is responsible for a certain number of casualties against another, we're just gonna end up straight where we started: nowhere. And to prevent a future war, words like these out of Tadic's mouth need to be espoused more often by many more leaders. But I would be a fool to say that anything will ever be normal between Serbs and Croats. But, as hard as it is, we must look forward if Serbia is to survive as a prosperous nation. And I think Tadic, fortunately, gets the latter better than most. I mean, we don't have to like one another...we just have to respect one another. Northern Italians don't particularly like Southern Italians (Ideology). East Germans and West Germans have their differences too (WWII). The Irish and the English do as well (Religion). Even Southerners in the U.S. don't like those in the north (American Civil War). So this is normal. But we should just try to respect one another if possible...for our own benefit.

I think, because we are Christians, we must forgive somehow. And as people, we must realize that Croats and Serbs speak practically the same language and share practically the same culture. And when Djokovic is out there battling for Serbia, for "Yugoslavia," or whatever, I bet there's at least one Croat who is rooting for him. So I wouldn't spurn a man who wants to mend bridges. Give peace and prosperity a chance. For God's sake man give it a chance.

Arguably, the Serbs have been the aggressor in both Croatia and Bosnia in that they started the fight to keep Yugoslavia together. However, to say the same for what happened in Kosovo is simply not accurate. The Albanians instigated the Serbian reaction to their own (terrorists) activities in order to involve the west (NATO), so in that regard, no apoloties are neccessary.

There is no need for Croats to apologie to Serbs. Some Croat war criminals should put them on the trial and that's it. Croats didn't killed the Serb civilians, but Serbs killed Croat civilians.

Very brave step among a bunch that we are looking forward to see; let us point out Kosovo and Kosovars. In my opinion they should be next to be asked for apology, and simultaneously recognize independence of Kosovo. Finally, to get out from the nightmare that has collapsed Balkan.

Orthodox wrote : " because we are Christians, we must forgive somehow."
If you respect and care so much for Christianity, than explain us why Serbian forces in Croatia during the war had destroyed Catholic churches? Or (maybe) just Orthodox are real Christians?