Croatia Introduces New Cemetery Law After 27 Years

The news in Croatian

1. uvesti
   Započeti primjenu nečega novog, uključiti nešto novo u sustav. ↩︎
2. groblje  (n.)
   Mjesto na kojem se zakopavaju pokojnici, mrtvačnica. ↩︎
3. stupiti
   Početi biti na snazi ili početi vrijediti. ↩︎
4. spomenik  (m.)
   Objekt koji služi za podsjećanje na važan događaj ili osobu. ↩︎
5. veličati
   Prikazivati nekoga ili nešto u izuzetno pozitivnom svjetlu, slaviti. ↩︎
6. osjećaj  (m.)
   Mentalni doživljaj ili stanje izazvano vanjskim podražajima. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: What does the new cemetery law in Croatia require to be removed?

Question 2: Besides monuments, what does the new law regulate?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
uvesti	introduce
groblje  (n.)	cemetery
stupiti	step
spomenik  (m.)	monument
veličati	glorify
osjećaj  (m.)	feeling

Read the full story

After nearly three decades, Croatia is set to implement a new cemetery law that will regulate the management and use of cemeteries across the country. Scheduled to come into force this Wednesday, the legislation aims to address several issues, particularly the removal of monuments erected after 30th May 1990 which praise Serbian aggression during the Croatian War of Independence.

The law mandates that within 30 days of its enactment, all existing grave site equipment and memorials that do not comply with the new regulations must be removed. Specifically, it targets those monuments linked to aggressive military and paramilitary units from the era when parts of Croatian territory were occupied by Serbian forces. Such memorials, according to the government, continue to offend the sentiments of Croatian citizens.

Key examples include the resting place of Vukašin Šoškočanin, a commander of the Serbian rebels, who was responsible for the deaths of 12 Croatian police officers in Borovo in May 1991. The removal rules apply equally to inscriptions both in Cyrillic and Latin scripts, unless they are deemed non-offensive to national and moral feelings.

In addition to regulating existing gravesites, the comprehensive legislation introduces measures about memorial cemeteries for victims of the Homeland War, placing their management under the authority of the Croatian Ministry of Veterans. The law also addresses the increasingly prevalent practice of scattering ashes, with local governments responsible for setting out appropriate methods and locations.

The law’s introduction follows modifications to the law on agricultural land consolidation designed to expedite processes by simplifying consent requirements. These agricultural reforms now require less than the previously needed majority of landowners to approve consolidation.

Moreover, the Croatian Parliament is anticipated to process the resignation of Aleksandra Jozić Ileković, head of the Commission for Conflict of Interest Decisions. She has requested her dismissal, citing internal challenges and allegations against other members undermining the commission’s functionality.

The new cemetery law marks the first major overhaul in 27 years, reflecting Croatia’s ongoing efforts to reconcile its past while structuring its future legal frameworks.

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