Zagreb, November 29, 1999 (IKA) — Today, November 29, 1999, the Catholic Bishops of the Republic of Croatia sent a Pastoral Message to the faithful concerning the forthcoming elections for the members of the House of Representatives of the Croatian National Parliament. We present the entire message obtained from the Secretariat of the Croatian Conference of Bishops in translation:

To the Dear Faithful, Brothers and Sisters,

1. Before us are the elections for the members of the House of Representatives of the Croatian National Parliament. As your shepherds, we are sending you our words of faith and hope, in order to spur you to responsible engagement at the present moment.
Since the Croatian National Parliament is the supreme legislative body that establishes the legal framework for the life of the entire country and each citizen, it is of primary importance for people to enter the Parliament who by virtue of their integrity and ability can best respond and contribute to the actual needs of the Croatian state and its citizens. The general good and future progress greatly depend upon them. Every believer, as well as every citizen, has the obligation to further the common good, according to his/her conscience.
The mission of the Church is not a political, economic or social order. The purpose established by Christ for the Church is a religious order. However, it is precisely from this religious mission that tasks arise, light and strength that can be utilized in order for the human community to be built and fortified according to the law of God (cf. Gaudium et spes., 42). Within the framework of this mission, our pastoral responsibility provides impetus for contributing to the stability of our common state so that it can be a solid guarantor of the common good for all our fellow nationals and fellow citizens.
2. Every citizen who has the right to vote can contribute to assuring that the most capable and worthy candidates enter the Parliament. Therefore, we urge all to exercise their right to vote to further the common good. The Second Vatican Council teaches: “All citizens, therefore, should be mindful of the right and also the duty to use their free vote to further the common good” (Gaudium et spes., 75). Voters should be rendered capable of deciding responsibly for whom they will cast their vote. Since many candidates on the party lists will not be sufficiently well known to the entire electorate, it is necessary for voters to study the party platforms and their activities to date. It is not necessary to issue a special warning that politicians, particularly during the campaign period, are known to make grandiose promises that are not backed by real options or even by the sustained will to fulfill what is promised. All of this should not be a reason for citizens to refrain from voting, to shirk their responsibility for the common good. After becoming informed about the parties and candidates to the best of his/her abilities, each person has the obligation to vote according to his/her conscience.
3. Regarding citizens who are Catholics, before deciding for whom they will vote, they must take into account the extent to which the party platforms and the moral character of a particular candidate on a party list are in conformity with the religious teachings and moral tenets of the Catholic Church. This does not mean that we would impose Catholic opinions upon the entire country, but it is understandable that a Catholic should not give his/her vote to those whose program would include the negation and destruction of those values that are sacred to believers. In evaluating individual parties or candidates, the believer will attempt to assess the degree that they promote tolerance and dialogue, the building of a legal and social state, justice in society; how much concern they demonstrate for families and children, the unemployed, the young, the poor, the elderly; and to what extent they champion the civilization of love and human life from conception to a natural death.
4. In order for voters to exercise their right as conscientiously and responsibly as possible, it is necessary for politicians to represent themselves and their parties as correctly as possible. In this connection, it is important to respect the culture of dialogue, avoid incorrect accusations and degradation. Who only finds fault with the other party is not behaving convincingly. Democracy requires tolerant and responsible behavior, with clear legal and lawful precepts toward themselves and others, without first looking at who has made a proposal but at whether what has been proposed is good, just, morally correct, worthy and socially useful. We urge the candidates to be as open, clear and truthful as possible in their platforms and campaign promises.
5. All who are responsible for the organization and implementation of the elections are obligated to take into account that the elections should not only be democratic but [that the voting should be] secret and free, in accordance with the international conventions and European democratic standards. In our circumstances, it is most important for all the parties and politicians to comply strictly with the election law and campaign regulations. The voters have the right via all the mass media to obtain objective information about the parties and candidates, while the parties and candidates have the right to an equitable and fair campaign. The official commissions supervising the elections must be of a mixed composition, with members from the various parties in addition to the international observers, so that there will not be justifiable grounds for criticizing the regularity and democratic nature of the voting and the counting of the votes. Certain factors outside Croatia should not be permitted to restrict the expression of the genuine will of the Croatian voters.
6. We bishops particularly caution priests not to become involved in any party activity whatsoever. They should urge believers to make responsible use of their right to vote. Under no circumstances should priests tell believers which party to vote for but they should explain Catholic social doctrine and religious tenets in connection with the current political situation. On these foundations, let every believer determine for himself which platform and candidate he will choose, and for which party he will cast his vote.
7. This year, the celebration of the Great Jubilee, the two thousandth anniversary of Christianity, will begin at Christmas. We trust that with proper attention and consideration by all the campaign participants, the liturgical atmosphere of the Advent and Christmas season will not be significantly disturbed.
Praying for God’s abundant blessing for all the citizens of Croatia, for them to live a safe and peaceful life in goodness, honor, integrity and industry, with the gift of spiritual and material progress, we send all of you our heartfelt greetings.