In July, Zagreb hosted the largest and most controversial concert in Croatia’s history – Marko Perković Thompson gathered over half a million people at the Hippodrome. But this was not just a musical event; it was a political bombshell! Ustasha salutes were heard on stage, and the crowd loudly chanted “Za dom spremni” – a greeting symbolizing fascist ideology and hate. While Thompson’s team claims it was just a musical spectacle, many politicians and analysts across the region cannot ignore that this was an affirmation of hatred, intolerance, and glorification of crimes from World War II.
The President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, sharply condemned the event, calling it a political platform of revisionism and warning that half a million people at the concert greeted a symbol under which hundreds of thousands of Serbs, Jews, and Roma were killed. Dodik emphasized that this is a warning sign not only for Croatia but for all of Europe.
The concert also featured a special guest, retired bishop Ante Ivas, who wrote the song “Maranatha” performed by Thompson. Police detained 44 people on the day before the concert, and emergency services intervened 63 times due to incidents during the event. Besides gathering people from all over Croatia and abroad, many criticized the event as glorifying hate under the guise of patriotism.
Media debates rage on whether Thompson is a musical or political icon, and reactions from the European Union and other international actors have been mostly lukewarm, further frustrating those who believe such events should not be tolerated. Opposition groups in the region call for unity and resistance to such phenomena, while deep concern over rising nationalism and revisionism is felt in Serbia and Republika Srpska.
This concert is not just a musical event – it is an alarm for the entire Balkans. Will we allow hate and fascist symbols to become part of public life again? Or will we finally stand up against these dangerous trends? If you have an opinion, feel free to share it – maybe your voice can spark change!
