Topic: - on February 11, 2003 at 12:20:23 PM CET
Croatian PM condemns Nazi salutes at handball
The Croatian prime minister on Thursday condemned parts of the crowd and the singer at a public welcome-home party honoring Croatia's newly crowned handball world champions for doing Nazi salutes.
About 50,000 people gathered Monday in Zagreb's main square to welcome the team home. Folk singer Marko Perkovic Thompson, who performed at the party, shouted a slogan used by Croatia's Nazi forces during the World War II. Dozens of fans answered with Nazi salutes. Prime Minister Ivica Racan on Thursday said such behavior "cannot be tolerated in Croatia."
"Such scenes ... cast a shadow on the handball team's victory and besmear the face of Croatia," Racan said. "Croatia has long ago broke off with its Nazi past."
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