HNS glorifies crime in Ahmići, destruction of the Old Bridge, Dretelj and Heliodrom camps with a ceremonial academy

Today marks 24 years since the formation of the so-called Herceg-Bosna in Grude, reports the Patria agency.  

In Mostar, a ceremonial academy is being held on the occasion of this event, organized by the HNS, led by the president of the HDZ BiH and member of the BiH Presidency, Dragan Čović.  

The formation of the para-state Herceg-Bosna was a prelude to unprecedented crimes against the non-Croat population in Herzegovina and Central Bosnia. After the formation of this para-state, led by Mate Boban, and with the help of Franjo Tuđman's regime from Zagreb, murders, torture, and rapes of the majority of the Bosniak population followed.  

Images from the Dretelj, Heliodrom, Gabela, and many other camps across Herzegovina went around the world. In addition to murders and expulsions of the population, the crimes in Ahmići, the so-called Herceg-Bosna is also associated with the destruction of some of the greatest cultural symbols of this part of Europe, such as the Old Bridge in Mostar.  

This year's celebration of the anniversary of the formation of this criminal para-state seems more festive than previous ones, and most political analysts agree that this is because a final verdict is expected in November at the Hague Tribunal for six former leaders of Herceg-Bosna for a joint criminal enterprise.  

The leadership of Herceg-Bosna (Jadranko Prlić, Bruno Stojić, Slobodan Praljak, Milivoj Petković, Valentin Ćorić, and Berislav Pušić) were sentenced on May 29, 2013, to a total of 111 years in prison, among other things, for participation in a joint criminal enterprise aimed at removing the Muslim population from areas where the leadership of Bosnian Croats, together with the leadership of Croatia, wanted to establish Croatian dominance.

The celebration will also be marked by the promotion of a book by one of those indicted for the joint criminal enterprise, Jadranko Prlić, titled "Contributions to the History of the Croatian Republic of Herceg-Bosna," through which Prlić, as he says, wants to tell the other side of the truth about the war in BiH.  

It seems reasonable to ask the question, "after Dretelj and the destruction of the Old Bridge, is there anything more to tell?"  

The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the international community never recognized “Herceg-Bosna” as a state. The Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared “Herceg-Bosna” an illegal entity first on September 14, 1992, and then on January 20, 1994.  

However, the decisions of the Constitutional Court apparently carry no weight for people like Čović, Ljubić, and others who swear by democracy, respect for human rights, and the promotion of European values.  

On the other hand, we also have those for whom Herceg-Bosna is a symbol of evil. Former member of the BiH Presidency, Stjepan Kljujić, believes that Herceg-Bosna is the greatest shame for Croats and that they will not fare better in BiH until they distance themselves from Prlić, Boban, and those like them.