Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic
Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic speaks at the Equal Futures Partnership meeting at the Palace Hotel in Manhattan, New York, U.S., September 22, 2016. Reuters/Darren Ornitz

Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic has apologised publicly for handing out Serbian chocolate treats during the Day of Dubrovnik War Veterans. The occasion celebrated on Dec. 6 was intended to commemorate the veterans who defended the town from the Serb-led Yugoslav army in the beginning of 1990s.

During the 1990s, the Serb-led Yugoslav army and Croatia's pro-independence rebels fought a bloody war but a peace deal was reached after the war.

Grabar-Kitarovic's gesture had brought dismay to the parents of the children who received the Serbia-made chocolate with a photograph of herself. One parent vented on Facebook that it was inappropriate to give the chocolates on the day when veterans were given a tribute.

The Croation president said that she was extremely disappointed as she supported the campaign "Let's buy Croatian." She vowed that it would not happen again. She promised that Croatian products would be sent as a replacement to the sweets they provided. She also admitted that she did not check the package personally.

Based on the investigation, the sweets were planted inside the treat packages by a Croatian company. According to the report, the company has a supermarket chain in Serbia.

Serbian leaders were upset on Grabar-Kitarovic's move. Labour Minister Aleksandar Vulin said that her act was an example of incomprehensible racism. Commerce Minister Rasim Ljajic questioned about the normalisation of ties between the two former Yugoslav republics. Ljajic emphasised that because of a simple chocolate bar its has provoked an ethnic intolerance.

Croatian Serb leader Milorad Pupovac labelled the sweets as chocolate bars of shame.

Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic also commented that the apology of the Croatian president was a clear sign that her country did not want good relations with Serbia. He also added that countries at the war do not buy products from each other. He even said that he was unaware that the other country has declared a war on them.

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