In the photo gallery from the concerts of controversial Croatian singer Marko Perković Tompson, held the previous two nights in Široki Brijeg, in western Herzegovina, there is a photo of a person in the crowd who is assumed to be the judge of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Marin Vukoja.
In a photograph published by the Sarajevo portal Kliks (Klix.ba), next to a person presumed to be Judge Vukoja, a younger audience member is seen with an outstretched hand symbolizing the Ustasha salute "Ready for the homeland!".
The concert was accompanied by controversial signs in the audience, with Thompson's evocation of the wartime nineties, as well as symbols glorifying the Ustasha regime.
Due to the function that Vukoja performs, this Sarajevo portal stated, his presence at such a concert may cause public reactions, given that the Constitutional Court of BiH is one of the most important state institutions and that judges must have the highest level of political and ideological neutrality.
Vukoja assumed the position of judge of the Constitutional Court of BiH in May 2024, and was born in 1973 in Široki Brijeg.
Politicians from the Bosnian-Herzegovinian entity of Republika Srpska have been expressing outrage over Thompson's concerts in Široki Brijeg in the past two days, in which he glorified Ustasha symbols, and have asked BiH institutions to ban him from performing in BiH.
Delegate to the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliament Džemal Smajić stated that Thompson's concert in Široki Brijeg "once again showed that the symbols and ideologies of the fascist regime of the NDH are being publicly glorified in BiH."
Israel's non-resident ambassador to BiH, Galit Peleg, also condemned the use of Nazi symbols and salutes.
"The scenes of young people in Široki Brijeg celebrating with Nazi salutes are shocking. Such outbursts of hatred must be eradicated," said Ambassador Peleg.
Bonus video:
