Zagreb, (IKA) – The bishops of the Croatian Conference of Bishops have issued a message on the upcoming presidential election in the Republic of Croatia, in which they urge the Catholic faithful to approach the election deliberately and responsibly, so that their vote will contribute effectively to the continued development of our Homeland. They also express the hope that this message will be discussed by other Croatian citizens of open mind and good will who seek the genuine good of the society in which we live. The bishops emphasize that choosing the President of the Republic entails not only the right to vote but is a responsible civic duty and constitutional opportunity to exercise the democratic freedoms that were achieved in our Homeland through great efforts and unselfish sacrifices, not only ours but those of previous generations.
In the message, the bishops urge the faithful to choose that person among the candidates whose life and public activity most reflect statesmanlike wisdom and ability. The bishops are of the opinion that the President is the guarantee of national unity, concord and the harmonious coexistence of all citizens, and thus must carefully avoid anything that could create the impression that he is the representative of only some citizens and their views, because otherwise he would be neglecting the entire Croatian entity, which grew from the Christian heritage. It is his duty, according to the bishops, not only to respect the autonomy and division of authority in the state government but also to assure that those who wield authority complete the tasks entrusted to them in a suitable manner, with service to others, especially the most vulnerable, in their hearts.
Furthermore, in the message the bishops stress that the President is the point of reference for the preservation of the independence of the Republic of Croatia and none of his actions should call its territorial integrity into question, especially by providing concessions at the expense of state sovereignty in order to achieve short-term economic or other objectives. In the preparation for the accession of our country to European integration and various forms of international cooperation, it is the responsibility of the President to recognize how to preserve Croatian sovereignty and the identifiability of its values, state the bishops in their message.
Starting from Christian positions and within the Croatian cultural milieu, the bishops are of the opinion that a president who represents and protects Christian principles and the principles of the natural law of the defense and protection of human life from conception to natural death, the dignity of marriage and the family, and the free choice of religious instruction in school can represent Croatia for the good of its citizens. Similarly, in the opinion of the bishops, the President of the Republic must be a person who feels strongly that the society should live on the truth about the past, so that interpretations – based upon untruths – would not be a source of new conflicts and dissension in the nation. The bishops feel that the President is obliged to be dedicated to the whole truth about the aggression against the Homeland and its defense from 1991 to 1997.
Moreover, within the context of the current Croatian reality, the bishops emphasize that it is very important for the future President of the Republic not only to represent the unambiguous condemnation of the crimes of fascism, Nazism and communism but that, investing his authority and powers, in a special way he should support the shedding of light upon the crimes of the communist regime, as the member states of the European Union have done, and the elimination of the legacy of communist ideology from the modern Croatian society, which still wants to present itself in an attractive light, although our society bears unhealed wounds and the seed of many current difficulties from this period.
“From the candidate for the office of the President of the Republic who will be acceptable to the faithful and all citizens who respect the values essential in the formation of the Croatian national entity, it is expected that he will stress the importance of Sunday as a nonworking day, primarily as a profound cultural reality of our nation. Likewise, the faithful and all citizens have the right to expect the President of the Republic to be exceptionally sensitive to social justice, to oppose everything that obstructs the genuine prosperity, progress and happiness of the Croatian people, ranging from corruption and economic fraud to the spread of the scourge of drugs and other addictions, especially among children and the young. The believer and every responsible citizen will give his vote to that candidate who respects the God-given gift of nature so admired in Croatia, of which we are proud and for which we thank God. It was not given for sale or disposal by individuals who exercise power for a certain time in our country,” state the bishops in their message.
The bishops also note that political activity, with concern for the common good, is an honorable and necessary service in the community. Those engaged in this calling must seek to preserve and promote the dignity and honor of the political profession, which is often undermined.