Israeli Ambassador Shmuel Meirom asked the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament Vladimir Seks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, and Croatian Radio Television (HRT) Director General Vanja Sutlic to act immediately and remove Jadranka Kolarevic from the HRT program council. 

- Surprised and deeply shocked over Jadranka Kolarevic’s anti-semitic outburst at the session of the HRT council on July 13, I am asking for an urgent investigation and, if it turns out to be necessary, a court process – said Israeli Ambassador Meirom. 

Commenting on Zuroff’s public statement, in which he said that, by showing Thompson’s concert on Croatian Television, the Croatian government was expressing approval of his hate speech, Jadranka Kolarevic pointed out that it was perfectly clear that Zuroff did not have a clue about our country or else he would know that neither the President, nor the Parliament, nor the government had any influence on HRT’s program policy. 

- Many people die every day in Palestine and he is commenting on the situation in Croatia. As far as Jews are concerned, there were pure Jews in NDH (Independent State of Croatia) leadership, too – concluded Kolarevic.   

At the end of today’s council session, Sutlic was asked to comment on Israeli Ambassador’s statement that Jadranka Kolarevic ought to be removed. He resolutely responded: 

- Every communication is desirable, but what we do not allow our politicians, which is to interfere in the network’s work, we will not allow to foreign guests either – said Sutlic. 

Jadranka Kolarevic’s “hate speech” topic of today’s session of the council again  

The same debate continued at today’s session of the HRT program council too. At the session, new heads of television, radio and music production were elected. 

At the very beginning, Darinka Janjanin asked council president Zdenko Ljevak and HRT Director General Vanja Sutlic what they thought about Jadranka Kolarevic’s recent “hate speech.” Ljevak briefly responded that he would not comment on other council members’ statements and that the question was addressed to the wrong person. After that, Jadranka Kolarevic herself responded. 

- You cannot call 50,000 young Croats an ustashe group. You, Janjanin, called Thompson s singer with an ustashe pedigree and, if you had an ear for music, you would be able to evaluate his music – said Kolarevic.  

Director General Vanja Sutlic briefly commented, saying that he was not an advocate of big words, but of a more peaceful discourse. 

- We had a prior commitment to do this concert and I think we did our job as we should have – said Sutlic.