Croatia in diplomatic rift with Serbia for barring President Aleksandar to visit WWII site

Diplomatic relations between Serbia and Croatia hit anor low on Sunday after latter blocked a private trip by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to a World War II site. Ties between Balkan states have remained tense ever since breakup of former Yugoslavia and subsequent war in Croatia but latest decision has sparked outrage and risks a possible retaliation by Serbs. According to Associated Press, Vucic was scheduled to visit Jasenovac Concentration Camp where tens of thousands of Serbs and ors were killed by pro-Nazi authorities during war.

Croatian authorities said that y learned about planned visit by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic through “unofficial channels”. Later, country’s Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Rman told reporters that fact that Croatian government h not been formally notified of visit was “unacceptable.” He denounced Serbian authorities for downplaying security risks of visit.

“ Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to stress that in planning of any visit by foreign officials time, nature and program of visit should be subject of official communication and agreement by both sides,” Rman asserted. "This was not a trip to seaside. president of a country is a protected individual," he ded.

“We see this as a provocation,” Rman emphasised in a later statement. He ded, “such a visit is not sincere, it is not about honouring victims” of Jasenovac camp, where tens of thousands of Croatia’s Serbs, Jews and Roma perished in brutal executions during WWII rule of pro-Nazi authorities.

Massive outrage in Serbia

Meanwhile, blocke triggered massive outrage in Serbia where authorities branded it as "scandalous". According to Associated Press, Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin, without elaborating, said all Croatian officials from now on would have to announce any transit or visit to Serbia and would be placed under a “special regime of control.” “This was an anti-European and anti-civilization decision and a brutal violation of freedom of movement,” Serbian Prime Minister Ana Branabic told Pink television. “I don’t know what our relations will look like in future ... This is sending a frightening message.”

(Image: AP)