Croatian media reported that students who attended a concert by singer Marko Perković Thompson, known for his association with Ustasha symbolism and wartime glorification, received top grades in music education at Osijek’s First Gymnasium.
According to the portal 24sedam, the concert, held on November 21-22, 2025, at the Gradski Vrt Hall, sparked controversy not only because of the performance itself but also because the music teacher allegedly awarded the highest marks to students who attended, despite no other relevant musical events taking place that week.
The media noted that the teacher announced plans to clarify grading criteria only after the school holidays, raising concerns that the grades were already recorded and that the practice may reflect ideological favoritism rather than educational assessment.
“This sequence of events casts serious doubt on whether the evaluation was pedagogical or intended as an ideological message,” 24sedam wrote.
The incident has reignited debate in Croatia over institutional tolerance of anti-Serb sentiment and the public role of controversial historical narratives in education.