The Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MVEP) sent a note of protest to Serbia on Tuesday after four Croatian citizens and two Serbian citizens who stood up for them were physically attacked in Pancevo, Serbia, on Sunday.

“The MVEP strongly condemns this act, which according to the information available is obviously nationally and ethnically motivated,” the ministry said in a statement.

It added that it expects the Serbian authorities to urgently and publicly condemn the attack.

The ministry also asks “for the urgent transmission of all relevant information on the actions of the police and judicial authorities of the Republic of Serbia in this particular case and expects appropriate punishment of the perpetrators.”

Four people insulted four Croatian citizens on national grounds in Pancevo on Sunday and then physically assaulted two Croatian and two Serbian citizens, with “the victims sustaining minor physical injuries”,” according to the High Prosecutor’s Office in Pancevo.

An arrest warrant has been issued for one of the four suspects, the General Prosecutor’s Office told Hina today.

Vucic strongly condemns attack on Croatian nationals in Serbia

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic condemned an attack on Croatian citizens on Tuesday. He described it as “unacceptable” and something that should not be repeated in the future.

“I condemn this in the strongest possible terms. Those who did this must be held accountable,” he said in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, at the opening of the Mostar 2024 International Business Fair.

Vucic said he had been informed about the incident by the Croatian delegation at the fair, which is led by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic.

“Such things must not happen anywhere (in Serbia) and in the region,” Vucic said, adding that it was necessary to strengthen trust and have more honesty in “Croatian-Serbian and Bosniak-Serbian relations”.