The President of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, commented on the Croatian delegation’s abrupt departure from Serbia following an incident by the Serb radical leader Vojislav Seselj.

“The Speaker of the Parliament’s decision to cut the official visit to Serbia short was the only possible answer to the barbarism by the convicted war criminal Vojislav Seselj. His trampling of the Croatian flag is an expression of impotence of the leader of a defeated criminal policy which had brought much harm to the Croatian people, including the Vojvodina Croats. To him, and his kind, the greatest punishment is the existence of an independent Croatia and the complete collapse of the Great Serbia project,” a press release from the Office of the President said.

“I applaud the reaction by the Serbian highest officials, and I express my hope that this incident will not disrupt the progress in our two countries’ relations, achieved in the last few months,” the press release said.