President Milanović and President Pirc Musar Attend Commemoration of Joint Anti-fascist Struggle of Croats, Slovenes and Italians
President of the Republic of Croatia Zoran Milanović and President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar participated today in the commemoration of the 82nd anniversary of the World War II Battle of Kućibreg, highlighting the importance of this anniversary as a symbol of the joint anti-fascist struggle and solidarity of the Croatian, Slovenian and Italian peoples.
The two presidents emphasised that Kućibreg represents a unique example of the historical unity of the three nations in the resistance movement, as well as an enduring lesson on the importance of coexistence, good neighbourliness and the preservation of the Istrian identity.
“Based on the number of people gathered, the atmosphere, the enthusiasm, and fervour, I immediately feel that this is a special place and a special occasion,” said President Milanović.
Looking back at the historical context of late autumn 1944, when, despite the impending end of the war, Hitler’s regime was still launching powerful offensives, President Milanović pointed out that these events, viewed from a distance of nearly a century, bear witness to a time of utter madness that must serve as a warning for the future. He particularly emphasised the uniqueness of the cooperation among the three nations in Europe at that time. “I do not know of any place in Europe during World War II where there was such a brotherhood-in-arms, a cooperation of three nations in the resistance movement,” said the Croatian President.
Commenting on the post-war period and the annexation of territories to Yugoslavia, President Milanović said: “In that struggle, in that redistribution, the Italians fared worse. That too was not handled in a humane and civilised manner, as is often the case in this region. Many mistakes were made there. However, that will, that fervour of those people back then to die for freedom is something that is human, valuable, something that transcends space and time and goes beyond local significance,” President Milanović stated.
Finally, he added that he was disappointed by many things in today’s Europe, which is no longer the way he experienced it thirty or forty years ago. “I am disappointed by many things and I will no longer be able to change them, because my job has its own time and biological limits. However, what took place in Kućibreg nearly a century ago is a unique thing, and this is a challenge to everyone, a positive one, to name a place in Europe with a story like this and protagonists like these. Therefore, glory to them, glory to their struggle, their courage, their passion, and they should never be forgotten,” President Milanović concluded.
In her speech, Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar focused on the present and future of the region, delivering strong words of praise to the inhabitants of Istria who, through their way of life, shape an authentic and invaluable shared Istrian identity. “The proud and industrious people of good hearts who live and create here are the most authentic reflection of this connection, of good neighbourly relations, and of the richness of shared values and local customs,” Pirc Musar emphasised.
The Slovenian President underlined that respect for history and mutual understanding are key foundations upon which a stable shared future is built. “Good neighbourly relations require an honest attitude towards history, respect for victims, and a readiness to listen to and understand one another. Istria teaches us that coexistence demands daily care. Through such a relationship, Slovenes, Croats and Italians preserve Istria as a shared space of good neighbourly relations and build a future in which everyone has their place,” President Pirc Musar concluded.
In addition to the two presidents, Edi Andreašić, President of the Organising Committee of the commemoration, also spoke at the commemorative gathering marking the 82nd anniversary of the World War II Battle of Kućibreg.
President Milanović and President Pirc Musar also laid wreaths in honour of the fallen at the partisan monument set up in 1959 on the hill above the village of Kućibreg in Istria, right by the border with Slovenia, which preserves the memory of the fallen fighters and symbolises the unity and friendship of the Istrians of the Bujština and Koparština regions. The World War II Battle of Kućibreg took place on 3 and 4 November 1944, when partisan forces from Croatia, Slovenia and Italy jointly defended the area against significantly superior German Nazi and Italian fascist forces. In this unequal battle, 120 fighters lost their lives, the majority of whom were members of the Italian partisan battalion “Alma Vivoda”. Most of the fallen were buried in a mass grave in the Slovenian village of Hrvoji.
President Milanović was accompanied by the Adviser to the President for Human Rights and Civil Society Melita Mulić, Adviser to the President for Foreign and European Policy Neven Pelicarić, and Adviser to the President for Relations with Local and Regional Self-Government Nikša Peronja.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek