Glavaš emphasized Article 80 and supported the ratification of the Istanbul Convention

The president of HDSSB and member of parliament Branimir Glavaš stated on Tuesday that he will vote in the Croatian Parliament for the adoption of the Istanbul Convention, regardless of whether there will be any accompanying interpretative statement or not, and emphasized that HDSSB wants Croatia to remain a secular state in the future.

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At a press conference at the party headquarters, Glavaš said that some media have put his name in the context of ambiguity or opposition when voting on the ratification of this convention and pointed out that he will vote for the adoption of the Istanbul Convention regardless of whether the majority party of the ruling coalition HDZ will provide an accompanying interpretative statement or not. “There are no dilemmas here,” he said.

He warned about the provision of Article 80 of the Convention, which speaks about the possibility of canceling or withdrawing the signature of ratification, and said that “any party can cancel this Convention at any time by notifying the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.”

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He emphasizes that after the ratification of the convention, there is a possibility of requesting a delay in the execution of certain obligations for a period of five years, which primarily relates to financial obligations that will arise from the adoption of the Convention, so the state can receive a five-year delay, and the Convention also leaves the possibility for further extension for an additional 5 years. This means there is a ten-year possibility to postpone certain matters. If negative effects of the Convention on Croatian society and the state are shown, the Croatian Parliament has the option to withdraw its signature and consent to the Istanbul Convention within the next 10 years, said Glavaš.

“Therefore, I see no reason why the Istanbul Convention should not be ratified in the coming days or weeks, and HDSSB will contribute to the ratification with its one vote,” said the president of HDSSB.

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Glavaš stated that “the media witch hunt, initiated in recent days by certain circles, is inappropriate” and that it is a matter of politicization. Some individuals are trying to instrumentalize the Convention “for political reckoning and conflicts with certain people or political options,” believes Glavaš.

“Croatia is a secular state and HDSSB wants it to remain a secular state in the future. The clear, precise, and unequivocal separation of church and state is regulated by the Constitution. We advocate that these values remain permanently recorded in the Croatian Constitution and that Croatian citizens and certain institutions adhere to this constitutional provision,” said the president of HDSSB.