The protest movements shaking the Middle East don’t necessarily end at the Muslim frontier, as the nation of Croatia is quickly itself at the center of a swelling movement of demonstrators demanding early elections and an end to corruption.
The protests have been reported in virtually every major city in Croatia and have been largest in the capital city of Zagreb, where they have taken place for over two weeks. Nationwide, the protesters’ numbers are said to be approaching 100,000.
The first interesting aspect of the Croatia protests is that it is the first decidedly non-Muslim nation to experience such major protests. The second interesting aspect is that the complaints are pretty much the same: Facebook-organized rallies complaining about soaring unemployment and corruption.
While President Josipovic has promised some reforms and entered talks with the political opposition, it seems he is resisting calls for early elections and intends to hold off until the legal deadline of March 2012, saying that an early vote would jeopardize EU membership talks.
My guess would be that the majority of countries across the planet have abusive "elites" who have historically used their control of the state security apparatus and elite control of the media to maintain their privileges,…at the expense of "the little people". Now however, the new facebook/twitter social network technologies have provided the means for the frustrated folks to connect, organize, and EFFECTIVELY rebel against historic power and privilege. So the Arab revolts have taught the rest of the world what is possible. Democratic revolution is the result. And the events in Croatia stand as a lesson for the world that this revolutionary trend is not going to be restricted to the Arab world, but will soon be coming to a city near you.
Hoorah for the internet. Let freedom ring! And let the sphincters of ruling elites tighten up everywhere.
We, peoples of the world, are all in the same boat. Now, if we could figure out a way to strike all once…
Ordinary Germans have been protesting against a multi-million euro rail station in Stuttgart. The rail station was the trigger but the reality is that the German people are fed up with not being listened to.
Croatia is surely not first non-Muslim country to experience these types of protests. We have already seen this in Greece, Spain, Island, Italy, Ireland and yes in Great Brittan. You remember young people in England were yelling “of with their heads” when the “elite” increased college tuition by 200 percent.
Croatians are fed up with the level of corruption in the country. From what I’ve read about this country the problem is mainly the politicians that were inherited from the communist era that either can’t or won’t adapt to being a democratic nation. Good for the Croats for protesting and demanding change. We should follow in their footsteps.
btw… A “nazi” country? wtf. That’s some racist BS. 10/10 for ignorance.