Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic on Tuesday congratulated all Croatian citizens on Antifascist Struggle Day, saying that "the values of anti-fascism were built into the foundations of independent and sovereign Croatia," state agency Hina reported.

“On Antifascist Struggle Day, we remember 22 June 1941 when the First Partisan Detachment was established in Brezovica Forest near Sisak. At that time, one of the strongest antifascist movements in occupied Europe was active on Croatian territory, which testifies to, and symbolises the Croatian people’s commitment to antifascism in the circumstances of the Second World War,” Jandroković said in his message.

He said Croatia’s commitment to the promotion of antifascism was confirmed in the Constitution as well as the Antifascism Declaration which parliament adopted in 2005 on the 60th anniversary of victory over fascism.

“The free and democratic present-day Croatia was created with the heroic victory in the Homeland War and became a member of NATO and the EU, where it strongly advocates the preservation of the European values of peace, freedom, democracy as well as solidarity and the protection of human dignity and human rights. Today we remember all those who sacrificed their lives for a free Croatia,” Jandroković said.