Veterans Protest Against Funding of FALIŠ Festival in Šibenik

The news in Croatian

1. prosvjed  (m.)
   Javno okupljanje ljudi kako bi izrazili svoje neslaganje ili nezadovoljstvo. ↩︎
2. financiranje  (n.)
   Osiguranje novca za neki projekt ili aktivnost. ↩︎
3. sudjelovati
   Biti aktivan dio neke aktivnosti ili događaja. ↩︎
4. vrijednost  (f.)
   Važnost ili značaj nečega za osobu ili društvo. ↩︎
5. organizator  (m.)
   Osoba koja planira i vodi aktivnosti ili događaje. ↩︎
6. napetost  (f.)
   Stanje anksioznosti ili nesigurnosti među ljudima ili grupama. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Who participated in the protest against the FALIŠ festival in Šibenik?

Question 2: What do the protestors say about the values of the FALIŠ festival?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
prosvjed  (m.)	protest
financiranje  (n.)	financing
sudjelovati	participate
vrijednost  (f.)	value
organizator  (m.)	organiser
napetost  (f.)	tension

Read the full story

A protest took place in the centre of Šibenik, Croatia, as veterans from the Homeland War opposed public funding of the Festival of Alternative and Left (FALIŠ). Organised by the Coordination of Veterans’ Associations from the Šibenik-Knin County, the protest saw the participation of approximately two hundred individuals, including notable support from two Members of Parliament from the Homeland Movement Party.

The protestors expressed their discontent with the financial support provided to FALIŠ, claiming it promotes ideologies contrary to Croatian values. Among the demonstrators were members from various veterans’ associations, with symbols of the Croatian Defence Forces (HOS) visible and chants of the controversial greeting “Za dom spremni” heard.

Željko Šižgorić, president of the organising committee and a veteran of the 4th Guard Brigade, emphasised their love for both Šibenik and Croatia, stating a need to defend their homeland once more. “This time, we fight not with weapons but with words,” he asserted, reflecting a wider feeling of dissatisfaction among what he described as a “silent majority.” He accused certain organisations under the guise of culture and democracy of promoting narratives that do not align with those of the Croatian people.

Veteran Željko Ušljebrka from Benkovac, another significant voice in the protest, declared that the organisers aren’t “prohibiters,” but defenders of their history and future. He reiterated the narrative that those opposing the veterans’ views allegedly harbour resentment against Croatia and its values.

The parade of protests coincided with the concluding day of the 13th FALIŠ festival. While the festival organisers refrained from engaging directly with the protestors, Luka Nikpalj, one of the festival’s organisers, stressed that FALIŠ encourages open dialogues based on facts and hoped attendees would consider attending the event to understand its perspective.

The protest highlighted an ongoing tension between groups within Croatia, centred around the narrative of the Homeland War and its place in modern Croatian society. Despite the protests, local authorities, including Mayor Željko Burić, maintained support for the festival, asserting that funding decisions were appropriately addressed by cultural councils.

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