Croatian Veterans’ Construction of the Dominant 1990s War Narrative in the 2000-2005 period: Between Preservation and Negotiation

As a country gaining independence amid the 1990s war, the Homeland War represents a pivotal historical event for Croatia, serving as its founding myth. By selectively using historical facts about the conflict, the main myth-makers use the war as a political myth important for Croatian contemporary national identity. This sanitised view of the past, constructed and promoted by elites and non-elites, is especially tied to war veterans. Since the 1990s, veteran associations played a significant role in Croatia’s memory politics, reinforcing the regime of Croatian President Franjo Tuđman. After Tuđman’s death and the subsequent opposition’s electoral victory, veteran associations and groups played a major role in keeping the war narrative alive. Veterans were especially active during the 2000-2002 period, when they successfully advocated the dominant narrative about the war, obstructing Croatian cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia. However, after preserving the dominant narrative, many veteran associations took part in negotiating or re-constructing the narrative when, in 2004-2005, they aligned with the new government policy of cooperating with the ICTY for the sake of European integration. By analysing archival documents and media reports, the article points to the pragmatism of many veteran groups contrasted to those loyal to their former fellow combatants. © (2024), (Croatia Political Science Association). All Rights Reserved.