Varazdin County head Andjelko Stricak of the ruling centre-right HDZ party condemned on Monday the destruction of the Serb minority flag in the northern town of Varazdin, which was taken off the entrance to the offices of the local Serb minority council.

“I most strongly condemn the destruction of the Serb minority flag. The act should be punished because it does not contribute to coexistence and tolerance that have always been a symbol of life in this region,” Stricak said in a statement.

The incident in Varazdin was reported by the local Serb Minority Council (VSNM), which noted that it was not an isolated case, as the bilingual sign on its offices had been destroyed four times over the past seven years.

Earlier in the day, the incident was condemned by the Social Democrat mayor of Varazdin, Neven Bosilj.

Police were notified of the incident, but so far there has been no information on whether the perpetrators have been identified.