Zagreb dispute over Ban Jelačić square permit

The news in Croatian

1. inicijativa  (f.)
   skupina ljudi ili prijedlog kojim se nešto pokreće ili započinje neki posao ili akcija ↩︎
2. održati
   napraviti ili organizirati da se neki događaj ili sastanak dogodi ↩︎
3. događaj  (m.)
   nešto što se dogodi, posebno nešto važno ili zanimljivo ↩︎
4. pozornica  (f.)
   povišeni prostor u dvorani ili na otvorenom na kojem nastupaju glumci ili glazbenici ↩︎
5. povorka  (f.)
   skupina ljudi koji se kreću zajedno u uređenom redu, obično zbog neke svečanosti ili prosvjeda ↩︎
6. prostor  (m.)
   mjesto ili dio površine koji se može koristiti za neku namjenu ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Why did the city of Zagreb refuse to give a stage at Ban Jelačić Square to the group Hod za život?

Question 2: What alternative place did the city suggest for the concert and stage instead of Ban Jelačić Square?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
inicijativa  (f.)	initiative
održati	to hold
događaj  (m.)	event
pozornica  (f.)	stage
povorka  (f.)	procession
prostor  (m.)	space

Read the full story

The Croatian initiative Hod za život (Walk for Life) has accused Zagreb mayor Tomislav Tomašević and the City of Zagreb of refusing permission for their main stage on Ban Josip Jelačić Square, the central square in the capital. The event, which promotes what organisers describe as the protection of life from conception, is planned for 9 May in Zagreb as part of a series of marches in around 20 Croatian cities.

According to statements from Hod za život, the organisers requested all necessary permits from the city authorities on 20 January. These included approval to set up a stage on the main square and to temporarily close traffic along the procession route on the day of the event. The initiative claims that the responsible city commission meets weekly, but that its request was repeatedly postponed and processed very slowly.

The organisers argue that from the submission of their application until the decision banning the stage, the commission held eight sessions. They say that, when the city asked for additional information about the programme and list of performers, they answered within two days. In their view, the long delay and the final refusal suggest that the city authorities are trying to limit their access to a central public space.

Hod za život also criticises what it calls a “discriminatory ban” on placing the initiative’s flags on city-owned lamp posts. It claims that all residents of Zagreb pay the same local taxes and should therefore enjoy the same opportunities to use public areas. The initiative describes the situation as an attempt to narrow the space for freedom and democratic expression in the city.

In response, the City of Zagreb has publicly rejected accusations of discrimination or deliberate obstruction. The mayor’s office states that permission to use Ban Josip Jelačić Square on 9 May could not be granted because the location is already reserved for an official celebration of Europe Day. The city explains that this event is being organised on the same square and on the same date in cooperation with the European Commission Representation in Croatia and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

City officials emphasise that this prior commitment is the reason the square cannot be used by another organiser at that time. They add that temporary traffic closure for the Walk for Life procession has in fact received preliminary approval and that the formal permit is in the process of being issued. In this way, the city argues that the march itself is not being blocked, only the use of that specific central square at that particular hour.

The City of Zagreb also notes that the organisers have contacted the public institution Priroda Grada Zagreba (Nature of the City of Zagreb) to request an alternative location for their concert and stage, namely the pavilion in the nearby Zrinjevac park. According to the city, that institution is now waiting for complete documentation from Hod za život before deciding whether to approve the use of the pavilion for the planned programme.

While Hod za život views the handling of its request as a sign of political pressure and restriction of its activities, the city administration presents the situation as a question of logistical planning and scheduling of public spaces, pointing to the Europe Day celebration as an already arranged event. As preparations for the march in Zagreb continue, the final details regarding the exact location of the stage and concert remain subject to further administrative decisions.

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