HE WAS AN USTASHA, AND NOW HE IS THE PROTECTOR OF SERBS: I apologize to everyone that were banished during Storm and that have lost someone

Croatian reporter and theologian Drago Pilsel apologized to everyone that lost their closest relatives 21 years ago in the crimes committed on civilians during and after the military operation "Storm", to everyone that were forced to abandon their houses, cities and villages they grew up in, lived, had friends, children and family. 

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Polses apologized to those whose property was robed, and the houses where they lived for generations - burned and demolished, so they don't have anywhere to come back.

Pilses published his apology on the portal Autograf.hr , and in the explanation is written that after the "storm" he walked "the liberated" areas and he felt unease and difficulty watching it all.

"To make something clear: we had to return our own country to normal, finish with the  Marticevac rebellion and reintegrate the occupied areas but i strongly believe that accomplishing any social and political goal, even thou when all diplomatic resources are depleted, one should never include crimes and violations of human rights, not even then in 1995", said Pilsel after the municipal testimony of those sights. 

Pilsel grew up in the family of ustasha migrants, in a house in Argentina where family friend Ante Pavelic visited. As a young man, raised with ustasha's ideology, he became engaged anti fascist, who pointed out in the crimes over Serbs in Storm and who presented himself at the time as Jovan in solidarity for the victims.

Pilsel published before in Zagreb his fictionalized autobiography with the following message:

"You are holding in your hands my autobiographical novel which i give to you hoping that you will either get to know me, understand me, or perhaps the most importantly, to recognize the situations you maybe grew up in, even if they were not so violent as mine were, in order to accept, at least as much as the author did, the tasks that stand in front of the Balkan people: do calm down at the end and integrate withing the family of European people".

He said about himself that he has been representing the christian humanism for many years, rightful folk culture and anti fascism.

"I did not become anti fascist yesterday. People mat remember the data that i am among the founders of Croatian Helsinki Human Rights Committee and of course, some metamorphosis had to happen within me before that."

He considers that there are double morals in Croatia and Serbia, we say one thing and we do something different.

"For example, we say in Croatia that we respect the constitution. The constitution of Croatian Republic is based on anti fascist fight and victory in World War II, and the Croatian regime is glorified, shouts like: "Ready for homeland"... There is an entire subculture of neofascist and ustashas in Croatia", said Pilsel. 

Foto: Profimedia/Corbis

"I see great future in the Serbia - Croatia cooperation. Besides, the future of EU is that there won't be any religions within in, just like Benelux. And we will create one religion like that. That is totally clear and they who understand the politics know it will happen some day. Our economies are compatible, we speak the same language and our cultures are compatible, we have a history together, future together in European Union", said Pilsel.

Speaking about Croatia, he said that political structures have no adequate economic programs. 

"I want to say that: it is time for the political racket to stop and for documents to start speaking, and that work should be done by capable people, theologians, historians, politicologists, sociologists... which is the pop Franja intention creating the mixed commission for Stepinac. The question of reconciliation, coexistence, and normalization of relationships, does not depend of us, reporters, because we are building for years and creating the structures of trust and dialogue. NGO's are doing that as well, artists, athletes and entrepreneurs", said Pilsel for Sputnjik. 

Foto: Profimedia/AFP

As he was the first reporter that wrote about the crimes over Serbs in the operation "Storm", Pilses said that it was "really painful and traumatic experience".

"I was literally breaking when i hold the bones in my hands of the burned old people Nikola and Milica Damjanic in the village Prokljan near Sibenik", said Pilsel.

When asked, how are Serbs doing in Croatia, Polsel responded that many have a difficult time mostly because of hatred and adds:

Foto: Tanjug/Zoran Žestić

"Besides that, there are lot of poor people, lots of people without water or electricity. I am sorry when leader, no mater if they are Croatian army or political leaders, say that one Miloran Pupovac should show loyalty to Croatia, and Croatian Serbs must show it too. Should archpriest of Zagreb-Ljubljana Porfirije Peric show that he is peacemaker and ecumenist?! That is ridiculous. He is a true Christian and a real model for behavior to many catholic bishops and priests. And when i am already on the subject of calling out Serbs, i want to say that Milorad Pupovac gave more contribution for bringing democracy to Croatia than entire Croatian Democratic Union. We do not behave like a serious European country and i am dreadfully sorry for that".

This is how Croatians burned the Serbian flag during the celebration of the "Storm" operation:

(Telegraf.co.uk / Tanjug)