Diplomatic spat erupts between Balkan rivals Serbia, Croatia

By JOVANA GEC
Associated Press

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Diplomatic tensions have soared between Balkan rivals Serbia and Croatia after Croatia refused to allow a private visit by Serbia’s populist president to the site of a World War II concentration camp where tens of thousands of Serbs were killed by pro-Nazi authorities in Croatia. Croatia’n officials said they learned about the planned visit by Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic through “unofficial channels” and described that as “unacceptable.” This has sparked outrage in neighboring Serbia, where officials threatened retaliatory measures. The spat illustrates the ongoing tensions between Serbia and Croatia following their war in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s’.