It is not history that is dividing Europeans, but above all the political and ideological interpreting of it, Former President Milan Kucan said in Strunjan on Friday as he addressed a memorial ceremony devoted to victims of Fascism prior to and during WWII.
Kucan focused on the controversial speech made recently by Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, who labelled the post-WWII killings of Italians the "most barbaric act of the century" and one of "Slavic bloodthirstiness".
Kucan said that Slovenia's lukewarm response to Napolitano's speech "unfortunately was of no help in doing away with a one sided and ideological interpretation" of the events after WWII and that "Slovenians cannot accept such an accusation".
The former president further pointed out that false interpretation and a poor knowledge of the facts could lead to a distorted perception of things as was "also demonstrated in the position of the European Commission, which only replied critically to the strong response by Croatian Presidet Stipe Mesic, while it is keeping quiet about the remarks made by Napolitano".
According to Kucan, "the unusual reaction by the European Commission raises doubts about its objectivity and about the actual equality of big and small countries in Europe".
He pointed out that without equality Europe's history could become but a history imposed by the big on the small.
Finally, Kucan turned to the Slovenian victims of Italian Fascism, saying that they were victims of an ideology and policy that claimed millions of lives in Europe and throughout the world.
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