When MP Miro Bulj ended his speech in the Croatian Parliament with the salute “Dom spremni,” a political storm erupted! Speaker of the Parliament Gordan Jandroković immediately called on him not to provoke, while Milorad Pupovac from SDSS sharply stated that this salute has no place in the Parliament. Bulj had invited citizens to celebrate the Day of Alka and Our Lady of Sinj with a concert by Marko Perković Thompson, finishing his speech with the controversial salute that sparked a wave of reactions and insults. Jandroković emphasized that the salute “Dom spremni” has a double connotation: one linked to the NDH regime and unacceptable, and another connected to the Homeland War and HOS, where the salute is acceptable in certain contexts. However, using the salute outside these contexts is seen as provocation and harmful to the Parliament and the state. The reactions were fierce: Josip Jurčević called the left opposition fans of communist totalitarianism, while Ivana Marković from SDP sarcastically asked if the Speaker would address her as “Mr. Poglavnik” in the future. Pupovac categorically rejects the salute as Ustaše and warns that its use in Parliament is just cheap political point-scoring. The debate escalated into insults between MPs, with the right and left accusing each other of promoting fascism and communism. The opposition suggests leaving the chamber every time someone utters “Dom spremni,” as the official salute of the Croatian army during the Homeland War was “For the homeland, ready!” This topic reopened old wounds and divided the political scene, showing how difficult it is to reconcile different interpretations of history and identity in Croatia.
