Croatian government supports recognition of Holodomor as genocide
The Croatian government supported the parliament's initiative to declare the Holodomor a genocide against the Ukrainian people, news portal Nova.rs wrote on June 15.
"With the proposed declaration, Croatian Sabor (parliament) proclaims that Holodomor – forcibly induced famine that was planned out and organized by the communist Stalinist regime in Ukraine in the period 1932-1933 – was a crime of genocide committed against the Ukrainian people," said State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zdenko Lucić.
The motion still needs to be approved in the parliament's vote.
The man-made famine that took place under Joseph Stalin's reign over the Soviet Union caused an estimated 3.5 to 5 million Ukrainian deaths. Some scholars say the number may have been as high as 10.5 million.
The Ukrainian government has been calling on the international community to recognize it as genocide.
As of now, 29 countries have declared Holodomor a genocide against Ukrainians.
Croatia, a NATO and EU member, has supported Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression. Zagreb has pledged to provide 14 Mi-8 helicopters to Kyiv, nine of which were reportedly delivered in May, and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković has repeatedly visited Ukraine.
The support provided by Croatia's government stands in contrast with the stances of the country's President Zoran Milanović, who has criticized Western sanctions against Russia and denounced arms supplies for Ukraine.
