Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said on Friday that as far as he was concerned every school week could begin with the singing of the national anthem.
“I believe it’s important that the young learn to respect institutions and the state through the education system,” Plenkovic told Hina.
The story about introducing the national anthem in schools was brought by Vecernji List daily in today’s issue after France passed a law under which kindergartens and schools have the obligation to display the French and EU flags, the national anthem’s lyrics and the “liberty, equality, fraternity” motto in every classroom.
The Croatian Education Ministry told the paper that, under the law on the national coat of arms, flag and anthem, the coat of arms was displayed in every classroom and the flag hoisted on all schools.
On the first day of school, events are held for all first graders at which the national anthem is performed and the flag is also displayed, the ministry said.
It added, however, that “merely displaying symbols won’t contribute to stronger patriotism” and that it is necessary to encourage through education the development of positive values, including those related to the national and cultural identity.
Independent Democratic Serb Party president Milorad Pupovac told Vecernji List that Croatia needed stronger constitutional patriotism as well as Croatian and European constitutional values and norms.
Social Democratic Party president Davor Bernardic said it was necessary to introduce civic education to teach children about their rights and responsibilities in society as well as critical thinking.
The Croatian People’s Party believes that one loves one’s country primarily by preserving the environment, respecting the law, paying taxes, showing solidarity with other generations, through tolerance of others and those who are different, through hard work, politeness, knowledge and ideas, and only then by displaying symbols.
Istrian Democratic Party president Boris Miletic told Vecernji that he would always support healthy patriotism but that nationalism in this region had already brought about much evil and that it was not the right path for Croatia.
Bridge president Bozo Petrov was the only one who said the national coat of arms, flag and anthem “should be displayed in classrooms and public spaces. Thereby one shows respect for the people who created our country and builds a positive attitude to it,” the newspaper reported.
