Bishops’ Conference insists its statement is not political – but it comes two weeks after Croatia’s top court warned the President not to overstep the country’s constitution.
Accusing each other, discrediting other political options and candidates, violating constitutional provisions and disrupting the constitutional and legal order of the state are not behaviours that deserve the trust of citizens, the Justice and Peace Commission of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference, HBK, said.
In the statement on Wednesday, issued ahead of parliamentary elections on April 17, the Bishops’ Conference said such behaviour, among other things, has a negative effect on all areas of society, from family life to school, public life and especially everyday life.
Although the bishops asserted that their statement is not political and that they do not support any party, it comes after the Constitutional Court warned Croatian President Zoran Milanovic two weeks ago that he must not say in the election campaign that he will be prime minister if he does not first resign his position as President of the Republic.
HBK secretary Msgr Vladimir Dugalic said the constitution binds all citizens. “May any citizen violate the Constitution? If we say that we should stick to it, I think we have said everything clearly enough,” Dugalic said.
“If he addresses us privately, we will tell him. He is free to come. We only spoke of the foundations of the principles of a social order, we did not address anyone,” Dugalic added, when asked about Milanovic.
Over 80 per cent of the Croatian population declares itself as Catholic. Religious education is an optional subject in schools, and although Croatia is a secular country according to the constitution, the influence of the Church is unquestionable.
The HBK called on voters to vote for those they believe will be ready to implement much-needed reforms and serve the common good in the interest of all citizens in the upcoming elections.
Member of the Commission Msgr Stjepan Baloban spoke about what the common good is, according to the Church’s social teaching. “The common good makes it possible for every person to be able to live with dignity,” he said.
He insisted that the bishops’ statement is based exclusively on the social teaching of the Church, and should be understood that way. “Catholics are reminded that faith is not only a private matter, but also has a social dimension. In other words, the believer is not only responsible for his private life, but is also responsible for the life of the community in which he lives,” Baloban said.
As for the fight against corruption, Dugalic said it was up to the citizens to decide whether that fight was successful. “We only said that the fight against corruption must be the priority of all political options,” he said.
“At a time of general geopolitical instability in Europe, especially caused by Russian aggression against Ukraine, which in a certain way extends to our territories, the last thing we need is political instability and questioning of trust in institutions as well as the legality of parliamentary elections,” the statement read.
