This is an initiative launched earlier this year by the president of the Jewish community of Zagreb, Ognjen Kraus, who organized three meetings attended by representatives of most parliamentary parties and minority MPs, in order to ban any use of any fascist symbols.

Hina reported that Jutarnji list said that the draft that they had seen proposes an amendment to the existing law adding an article titled “Displaying of insignia of national socialism, fascism, Ustasha and Chetnik movements or regimes.”

The article suggests six months to three years in jail for anyone who “publicly uses, displays, wears on clothes, or in any other way shows in public the symbols, slogans, flags, insignia, images, names, nicknames, titles, greetings, gestures, uniforms, or parts thereof, or any other markings of fascist, national-socialist, Ustasha, or Chetnik movements, or regimes, or their leaders, or units.”

The draft also sets punishment of 6 months to 4 years in jail for committing this crime via print or electronic media or social media, and also 1 to 5 years in jail for anyone who “manufactures, stockpiles, distributes, sells, imports, exports, is in possession of large quantities of, or makes such material available to the public.”

However, the bill also allows for exceptions, in cases where “the features referred to are publicly used in service of education, condemnation, or for deterring undemocratic movements or regimes, for promoting arts or science, or when used for research or teaching purposes, or to report on current or historical events, or similar purposes.”