On May 18, thousands of Ustaša-fascists from Europe gathered again for the commemoration of their myth of the alleged massacre on the „Loibacher Feld“ (a memorial place in Bleiburg/Kärnten of the Ustaša-Fascists). Years of persistent resistance and protest of antifascists led to the result, that this year thousands of fascists less than last year marched up at this event. This success also could be seen at the mood within the counter-protests, which was partially very combative and as a whole very powerful and decisive to end this meeting once and for all.

Altogether there were three counter-protests with two manifestations and one demonstration. The demonstration has been the most powerful and clear expression of struggling for the prevention of the meeting. Around 150 antifascists gathered, among them also parts of the Carinthian-Slovenian population of the neighborhood, antifascists and revolutionaries from Croatia, Serbia and Austria. The mood was very lively and with an internationalist spirit, which was expressed through slogans in Carinthian-Slovenian and German. For example „Uastaše i cetnici, zajedno ste bježali“ (Ustaša and Četniks, you fled together) and „Smrt Fašizmu, sloboda Narodu“ (Death to Fascism, Freedom to the People), as well as „Long live international solidarity!“ was shouted very often.

The fact that antifascists and revolutionaries from Austria stood shoulder to shoulder with the antifascist forces from former Yugoslavia against fascism was a good expression of internationalism. In discussions as well as speeches it was pointed out, that the struggle against fascism should not only been hold up historically, but also has to be led and developed further today and thereby attempted a connection with the upcoming EU-election. The populations of the former Yugoslavia have seen the warmongering and fascist face of the EU with the bombardment and fragmentation of Yugoslavia, as well as the exploitation which is now supposed to be further advanced by the „EU Eastern enlargemen“. In some of the contributions the rejection of the EU was pointed out, which shows the necessity of uniting this rejection also through joint actions against the EU-election to a joint force! This includes a clearly internationalist standpoint particularly from the struggling antifascists in Austria, which found a lively expression at the demonstration. An activist said: „Despite we have only been around 150 people, rather more in the foreground of the demonstration was a combative and internationalist standpoint! The struggling antifascists have shown, that we have to organize and struggle and that this struggle is connected with the struggle against the capital and against chauvinism!“

The antifascists have to build upon these good experiences and achievements of this year‘s protests against the Ustaša-meeting and to carry them forward! By that it will be succeeded to go further steps and gain victories in the joint struggle of the antifascists!

Long live international solidarity!

Long live the partisans!

Smrt Fašizmu, sloboda Narodu!

Death to Fascism! Freedom to the people!