Message from the Croatian Bishops on the 2015 Parliamentary Elections

1. The elections of representatives to the Croatian Parliament affect our personal, family, sociopolitical and economic reality. Therefore, on the occasion of the upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for November 8, to be held for the first time since the Republic of Croatia became a full member of the European Union, we Catholic bishops want to share our thoughts with the members of God’s people and people of good will, and urge all to go to the polls and thereby personally assume responsibility for the general social well-being and continued development of democracy in Croatian society.

2. On such occasions, we always ask ourselves which of the proposed candidates should be elected. In the Old Testament, the wise King Solomon said “for lack of guidance, a people falls” (Prov 11:14). Moses was advised by his father-in-law, Jethro, to “look among all the people for able and God-fearing men, trustworthy persons who hate dishonest gain, and set them over the people as commanders” (Ex 18:21). In light of this historical experience, we conclude that society needs representatives who will serve it with devotion. Society will only be able to grow and thrive if its leaders (politicians) are “trustworthy persons who hate dishonest gain” and as such through their examples spur others to honesty and integrity, diligence and honesty. Nothing can harm the state as much as dishonesty and sycophancy, pretense and hypocrisy. Therefore, Pope Francis says: “True statecraft is manifest when, in difficult times, we uphold high principles and think of the long-term common good” (Laudato si, No. 178).

3. It is true that the parliamentary elections are being held at a time when we are facing numerous challenges due to the economic crisis and unemployment, the emigration of a large number of young people and entire families, especially the highly educated and those upon whom the future of every society and state rests. We are concerned about the demographics of the nation, as evidenced by the sharp decline in the birthrate and growth of the elderly population. Moreover, the numbers of citizens living in poverty and those enslaved by debt are increasing, as are the problems of the refugee crisis and economic migration. Despite all of this, we must not allow ourselves to become indifferent and succumb to the temptation of despondency, especially the attitude and belief that nothing can be done or changed.

4. In order to make responsible and sensible decisions concerning whom to vote for in these elections, it is important to become acquainted with the electoral platforms of those who are running. By their election, they are given the opportunity to influence our daily lives for the next four years. Electoral platforms show how certain political options intend to govern the country if entrusted to do so by the citizens. Therefore, it is important to become familiar with the economic programs and measures that they intend to implement on land and sea in order to emerge from the economic crisis. In this sense, one should support those programs and vote for those politicians which inspire the greatest confidence that they will fulfill the promises of creating new jobs, halting further social disintegration and impoverishment of Croatian citizens, and especially the emigration of young people and families from Croatia. As believers, we shall entrust our confidence to those who support the protection of marriage as a union between a man and a woman, who promote the culture of life through long-term pro-natalist policies, safeguard and promote the dignity of women as well as the protection of the poor and disenfranchised, through the adoption of long-term agricultural and maritime policies for the protection of the many family farms and make it easier for farmers to deal with the challenges of the demanding market, as well as encourage trades, crafts and small enterprises, providing opportunities to everyone who can contribute to the economic recovery of Croatia with their knowledge, work and resources.
It is also important to assess whether individual political parties, coalitions and independents intend to implement the further democratization of the society and the war on corruption. Do they foster a culture of dialogue and pluralism, the right to religious freedom and the free choice of religious education, the right to conscientious objection to unjust civil laws that force people to act in a manner contrary to their convictions, consciences and the demands of the moral order and teachings of the Gospel? It is not insignificant to note how the future parliamentary representatives intend to promote the balanced development of all the Croatian regions.
A new feature of these parliamentary elections that should be welcomed is the introduction of preferential voting. Citizens are given the opportunity to vote directly from the electoral list of representatives for the candidate they believe has the strength and ability to cope with the aforementioned challenges and seek the most appropriate solutions in order to promote the common good. The option of preferential voting is a shift in the democratization of our society. A directly elected representative has greater responsibility to the voters who have entrusted him with their confidence.

5. Since the Croatian society is deeply divided ideologically, owing to its complex past and inadequately investigated suffering, parliamentary representatives should not succumb to such alignments. They must offer support to the professional community and facilitate unhindered historical research. Only in this way will they contribute to the whole truth about our past and establish a culture of dialogue and national unity. It is particularly important for parliamentary representatives to present the whole truth about the Homeland War and foster respect for Croatian veterans and their legitimate demands. In the spirit of healthy patriotism and national identity, it is expected that future parliamentary representatives will prevent the selling off of national wealth and implement environmental standards in the protection of the sea and natural resources. In the implementation of foreign policy, they should protect Croatian national interests and through their work should be recognizable in the international community for their European orientation, while at the same time contributing to the exercise of the political and cultural-historical rights of Croats who live in other countries.

6. Finally, we urge all party and independent candidates to maintain personal dignity and honor in all their appearances during the election campaign. They should avoid treating their political opponents inappropriately and in the best way demonstrate their own suitability for fulfilling the responsible duties of representatives in the Croatian Parliament. Through their behavior, we expect them to contribute to the restoration of the citizens’ confidence in the social and political institutions, which has been considerably undermined. In particular, the tragic fate of the many refugees passing through our country these days should not be exploited for campaign purposes. We encourage the media to fulfill their mission with high standards of professionalism and provide adequate and clear information on electoral platforms and candidates for the future assembly of the Croatian Parliament.

7. In the spirit of the ecclesial and spiritual mission, we invite ordained ministers of the Church to use the election campaign period to create unity among people on the basis of the Gospel and pray for our homeland, together with the faithful. Church premises should not be used for any campaign activities whatsoever. It should be clearly explained to their faithful that in the spirit of the social doctrine of the Church, they have the moral obligation to participate in the political life of society. Therefore, ministers should urge the faithful that, without relinquishing their rights, they should fulfill their duty and actively decide on their own future, as well as the progress of society and their homeland.
We commend everyone to the intercession of Mary, whom we have called our advocate for centuries, as well as to the intercession of St. Joseph, the patron saint of the Croatian nation and the Croatian Parliament. We particularly pray for the intercession and help of the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac, who gave his ministry and life to the Church and his nation. With their help, we urge everyone to approach the parliamentary elections responsibly and conscientiously, and elect “able, trustworthy persons who hate dishonest gain” who will represent us for the next four years.

Your Bishops
Zagreb, October 19, 2015