Dear Brothers and Sisters!

1. With regard to the election of the President of the Republic of Croatia, which will be held on December 28 of this year, we Catholic bishops want to share our thoughts with you, members of God’s people, but also with all people of good will, and urge you when conscientiously and responsibly casting your vote, to take personal responsibility for the betterment of the society as a whole and the continued development of democracy in Croatia.
Namely, political activity, as a form of direct concern for the common good, is an honorable and necessary service in the community because human society can be neither well-ordered nor prosperous without legal authority, which ensures order and contributes to a satisfactory extent to the common good (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1897).
In this sense, casting your vote for the person who, in your opinion, by his/her life and public activity most embodies wisdom, prudence and determination in conducting affairs of state, is not only our exercise of the right to vote as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia but also, as citizens and believers, an expression of the love we have for our Homeland. At the same time, by fulfilling our civil and religious duty, we also express our gratitude to all the previous generations who, through their lives and sacrifices, made it possible for us to enjoy the blessings of national sovereignty in a climate of true freedom.

2. In our desire to help you make a decision that is as responsible and prudent as possible, we wish to draw attention to some important aspects of the current social, cultural and political situation in the Croatian society and, thus, express the expectations we have from the future President of the Republic of Croatia. In the spirit of biblical wisdom, which says: “One who rules over humankind with justice, who rules in the fear of God, is like the light at sunrise” (2 Sam 23:3), the President of the country should, by the responsibility of the office, be a moral authority and conscience of the society.
Under the circumstances of the severe economic crisis, which have resulted in the increasing impoverishment of the people and the social stratification of Croatian citizens, it is to be expected that the President of the Republic of Croatia will use his/her authority to find a way out of the economic difficulties into which we are sinking more deeply every day. Therefore, we are convinced that the President of the country, as the person who “shall represent and act on behalf of the Republic of Croatia at home and abroad” (Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, Article 94) should strengthen diplomacy, especially economic, and thus promote the overall recovery of our society.
Therefore, we hope that the future President, as the head of a state that is a member of the European Union, will respond to the appeal recently issued by Pope Francis during a visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, and be a person who by his/her example will set a precedent by standing up for the rights of the oppressed, especially the poor, warn of the need for a change in mentality, rejecting the functionalist and privatized mindset that inexorably leads to a “throwaway culture,” and strongly support the establishment of a more just distribution of goods and the dignity of work, because without social sensitivity there is no development of the society as a whole.

3. In the wake of this address, in which the Holy Father stressed that the moment has come to work together in building a Europe that does not revolve around the economy but around the sacredness of the human person, around inalienable values; a Europe that is a repository of science, art, human values as well as faith; a Europe that looks at the person, who defends and protects him, particularly the family, the fundamental unit and precious element of every society, we are urged as believers to support the programs of those presidential candidates who are committed to promoting the dignity of women, the protection of marriage as a union of a man and woman, and the culture of life.
It is also expected from the head of state to respect religious freedom, freedom to choose religious education and the right of conscientious objection to unjust civil laws that force people to act contrary to the requirements of the moral order, the fundamental rights of a person and the teachings of the gospel, since this would be a confirmation of democracy and indicate respect for the pluralism of a society.

4. In light of the increasingly evident ideological conflicts in the Republic of Croatia, which seriously disrupt the culture of dialogue, we expect the President of the Republic of Croatia to condemn all crimes unequivocally (cf. Resolutions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe 1096/1996 and 1481/2006), regardless of when and in the name of which ideology they were perpetrated, because this is an essential prerequisite for the establishment of social peace and national unity. In this sense, it is of utmost importance for the President of the Republic to promote the uncovering of the whole truth about the Homeland War, foster respect for all Croatian veterans and support the meeting of their just demands.
The President, as the “first person of the Croatian state,” is called to love his/her nation, provide an example of healthy patriotism, respecting the signs and symbols of the Croatian national identity, and prevent the selling off of national riches. At the international level, it is necessary to promote and fight for the interests of all Croatian citizens and their country, and to view Croats who live in other countries as an important factor in achieving good international relations, whose political and cultural rights should be supported.

5. Although the crisis has affected a large number of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia and one senses a certain indifference and the temptation to become despondent, we must not leave the impression that nothing can be done or changed. We note, therefore, that failing to go to the polls is also a form of voting, because then we leave it to others to decide on our behalf and inevitably suffer the consequences on those decisions. We urge you, therefore, to become well informed about the platforms of the presidential candidates and not waive your right at the polls to participate actively in deciding your future. By voting for a particular individual, you are expressing your confidence and in a certain way authorizing this person to represent you during the next five years.
We also appeal to the presidential candidates to maintain personal dignity and honor during the election campaign because avoiding inappropriate and incorrect behavior toward political opponents reflects in the best way on one’s suitability for this responsible office. We also invite the media to fulfill their duties during the election campaign with high standards of professionalism, in addition to what is expected of them, and also to respect the holy days and, thereby, manifest a high level of tolerance and democracy.
With profound faith in God’s love of mankind and his boundless love that is manifested to us during the days of Christmas, we invite you to join us in prayer for the harmony and prosperity of our Homeland and commend it to the intercession of Our Lady, whom we have called the Advocate of Croatia (Advocata Croatiae) for centuries, that we may approach the coming presidential elections responsibly and conscientiously.

Your Bishops
Zagreb, December 10, 2014