Review article
https://doi.org/10.3935/zpfz.75.5.4
The Dialogue Document in the Context of Contemporary Developments in the Republic of Croatia and the Use of Unconstitutional Symbols
Marta Dragičević Prtenjača
orcid.org/0000-0001-9666-4765
; Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
This paper analyzes the “Dialogue Document – Fundamental Starting Points and Recommendations on the Special Normative Regulation of Symbols, Emblems and Other Features of Totalitarian Regimes and Movements” (2018) as a key instrument in addressing the legacy of undemocratic regimes in Croatia. It focuses on the normative, constitutional, and judicial aspects of restricting the use of totalitarian symbols, which have become increasingly visible. The distinction between univocal symbols, such as the Ustaša salute ‘For the Homeland – Ready’ (‘Za dom spremni’), inherently linked to hate ideologies and therefore prohibited, and multivocal symbols with context-dependent meanings, is highlighted. Croatian court and Constitutional Court decisions are analyzed, revealing legal uncertainty, in contrast to the clearer and stricter frameworks in Germany and Austria, which combine legal sanctions with civic education.
The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of the Dialogue Document’s origin, purpose, and core ideas, and to examine its role in establishing consistent legal practice and educational policies that prevent the relativization of totalitarian ideologies, while promoting a culture of dialogue, and historical responsibility in line with European legal and value standards.
Keywords
Dialogue Document; Law on Misdemeanors Against Public Order and Peace; totalitarian regimes; unconstitutional symbols
Hrčak ID:
344578
URI
Publication date:
12.2.2026.
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