Croats "steal" Djokovic from us?

Croats "steal" Djokovic from us?

According to Croatian media, the new Serbian Law on Cultural Heritage, adopted by the Serbian Parliament in late December, states that the old library material of Serbia includes "editions of Dubrovnik literature that belong to both Serbian and Croatian culture up to 1867."

This would mean that Marin Držić, the greatest name in Croatian Renaissance literature, as well as Ivan Gundulić, the most important Croatian Baroque writer, belong to the Serbian literary heritage.

Academician Ranko Matasović and professor at the Department of Linguistics at the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb state that by the same logic, Croatia should pass the "Law on Sports Heritage" which would prove that Novak Djoković is also a Croatian tennis player.

"On the occasion of the Serbian Law on Cultural Heritage, which claims that Dubrovnik writers published until 1867 are in the same time Serbian, I can only say this: it is high time for Croatia to pass the Law on Sports Heritage which would prove that Novak Djokovic is also a Croatian tennis player": Novak is an old Croatian name (compare Croatian Glagolitic 'Missal of Prince Novak'), Djokovic's grandparents are from Vinkovci, and for an athlete to belong to a nation it is not only important how he feels, but also who his coach is, ergo... In the end, the Croatian Law on Sports Heritage would apply only to athletes born in the former state until 1991, before Croatia and Serbia became independent. Djokovic was born in 1987", Matasovic wrote.

"And yes, following the same logic as Serbian legislators ('In the era before the creation of modern nation-states, it makes no sense to talk about the nationality of writers, everyone can be a member of any nation')", it could be argued that Dante is also a Croatian writer. Namely, the area in which he lived (so-called 'Italy') was under the same ecclesiastical jurisdiction (papal) as today's Croatia, and parts of both countries were under the same secular jurisdiction (the Doge of Venice, at one time also Charles Robert of Anjou); he wrote in one Romance idiom (Tuscan; there was no standard Italian language in his time), and many related Romance ancient dialects were also spoken in Croatia (Ragusan, Veliot, Jadertin, Old Venetian), ergo... Dante is also a Croatian writer", he added on Facebook. As he stated, until the state is ready for this, they should "stick to common sense".

"As long as we are not ready to consistently apply such logic in all cases, it is better to stick to common sense: Dante is an Italian, not a Croatian writer; Dubrovnik writers are Croatian, not Serbian. And Djokovic is only a Serbian tennis player," he concluded.