The Serb Democratic Alliance (DSS) party said on Tuesday that the cancellation of the 3rd festival of ojkanje singing in the Croatian town of Petrinja at the insistence of local associations of 1991-95 war veterans clearly illustrated that ethnic Serbs throughout Croatia were deprived of their rights.

The third festival of traditional folk singing known as ojkanje, which was to have been organised by the local branch of the Serb cultural society “Prosvjeta” on Saturday, August 25, was postponed after 12 of 13 participating groups cancelled their attendance due to opposition from some local veteran associations and political parties.

“After exerting pressure for days, right-wing groups in Petrinja succeeded in preventing members of the Serb community to exercise their right to cultural autonomy by organising the 3rd Ojkanje Festival. This example is a clear illustration of the degree to which members of the Serb community throughout Croatia can exercise their rights, which is not far from being described as deprivation of rights,” said this non-parliamentary party.

They added that the Constitutional Law on the Rights of Ethnic Minorities clearly defines the right of all ethnic minorities, including Serbs, to cultural autonomy and promotion of their own culture and traditions, as well as to their protection.

“However, as any other right that has to do with Serbs, this one too has its censors in various right-wing groups who think that they are above the rule of law and can impose bans and restrictions when something is not to their liking,” the DSS says.

Those groups, the DSS says, “have banned the Serbs’ right to use their language and script in (the eastern town of)Vukovar, prevented the removal of a plaque with fascist insignia (relocated from Jasenovac to Novska) and claimed the right to decide which events are not welcome in the public sphere.”

“In fact, they are indirectly demonising members of the Serb community and making their everyday life more difficult,” the DSS said, condemning attacks on the Prosvjeta branch in Petrinja and expressing support to their efforts to preserve the cultural heritage of Serbs living in the Banija region.

The party also called on the government to protect members of the Serb community from actions that threaten their rights and freedoms.

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