Vučetić: HDZ and Plenković Poison and Occupy Lika
A column on the portal Tris Šibenik compares the current government to occupiers, while the Prime Minister simultaneously celebrates Sinjska Alka on Twitter and announces lower fuel prices.
A column on the portal Tris Šibenik compares the current government to occupiers, while the Prime Minister simultaneously celebrates Sinjska Alka on Twitter and announces lower fuel prices.
While Prime Minister Andrej Plenković was posting photos from the 311th Sinjska Alka on social media on Sunday and announcing lower fuel prices, an exceptionally harsh column by Marko Vučetić appeared on the portal Tris Šibenik. In it, the HDZ and the Prime Minister are directly accused of being a "political army" that poisons Croatian land and people.
Vučetić bases his text on the discovery of an illegal waste dump in Gospić, which he claims "permanently poisons the soil, waters, and endangers the health and lives of people." This event, which came to light ahead of the commemoration of the anniversary of the military-police operation Storm, is used by the author as proof that Croatia, having freed itself from a military enemy in 1995, now faces an internal political enemy.
"Gospić has revealed who our enemies are, which political army is attacking us, poisoning and killing us, that army is called the HDZ, the general of that army is Andrej Plenković, and the so-called defenders are useful idiots serving the political occupiers,"
wrote Vučetić in a column published on August 11, 2026.
In the text, the author draws a sharp distinction between veterans of the Homeland War, whom he calls true victors, and today's defenders, whom he claims are "in the service of political occupiers." According to him, defenders "defend political occupiers, poisoners, thieves, and murderers," while veterans are symbols of victory over the aggressor from the past.
Vučetić does not hide his ironic stance toward the narrative of the Homeland War, noting that he supports "the right of every people, including the Croatian, to exaggerate military victories." He believes that a myth has been created about a superior enemy defeated in Operation Storm, even though, as he states, "almost no armed resistance was offered."
In stark contrast to the column are Prime Minister Plenković's posts from August 10. On Twitter, he shared the atmosphere from the Sinjska Alka, congratulating the winner Tin Radanović on his victory with 12 punata.
"For more than three centuries, the Alka has preserved the tradition, culture, and identity of the Cetinska Krajina and strongly testifies to the richness of Croatian heritage. The Sinjska Alka remains a powerful symbol of Croatian pride and unity!"
said Plenković.
The same day, the Prime Minister also announced lower fuel prices, effective from Tuesday. The new government decrees bring a reduction in the price of gasoline by 0.06 euros per liter (to 1.56 €/l), diesel by 0.04 euros (to 1.71 €/l), and blue diesel by 0.03 euros (to 1.18 €/l). The price of liquefied petroleum gas fell by 0.08 euros per kilogram, to 1.20 €/kg for tanks and 1.78 €/kg for bottles.
Concluding his column, Vučetić calls for the liberation of Lika from what he calls "patriotic occupiers and poisoners." His rhetoric does not spare the local population either, which he describes as "poisoned political slaves" who "proudly serve their occupier."
"Unfreedom kills, poisons, and occupies. Poisoned, occupied, and unfree Lika cries out for freedom! Let us liberate Lika from patriotic occupiers and poisoners!"
said Vučetić.
