With a majority vote, lawmakers in Zagreb approved on Wednesday a new piece of legislation mandating the removal of commemorative inscriptions erected during the 1991–1995 war if they contradict the constitutional order or are deemed offensive to citizens.
The new law, titled the “Cemetery Law,” replaces over two decades of previous policy and aims to clear cemeteries of any symbols that could provoke tension.
According to the Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction, and State Property, the law bans inscriptions made during the “occupation and peaceful reintegration” that contain symbols potentially offensive to public morality and citizens’ sentiments.
The legislation specifically targets monuments erected after May 30, 1990, when Croatia began its path toward independence from Yugoslavia. This includes memorials like the mausoleum of Vukašin Šoškočanin in Borovo Selo, which glorifies figures who led the Serbian aggression.
“We are introducing a new law after 27 years, as the existing Cemetery Law no longer suits the present times,” said Minister Branko Bačić during the cabinet meeting.
He added that following the occupation of certain parts of Croatia during the Homeland War, some cemeteries retained monuments and plaques with inappropriate inscriptions that contradict the country’s constitutional and legal order.
The removal of such monuments must be carried out within 30 days of the law’s entry into force.
Individuals may report monuments in violation of the law, while regional commissions will determine their compliance.
If action is not taken, the authorities will remove the plaques, and the property owners will face fines ranging from €1,000 to €5,000.
Additionally, for the first time, the law regulates the status of war defenders’ cemeteries, which will now fall under the care of the Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs.
