Plenković: We are on the same side as the Church, but the Convention is going into further procedure

Prime Minister and HDZ President Andrej Plenković stated on Tuesday that he values the support of the majority of the Presidency members for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention and believes they have raised the standards of democratic debate within HDZ. In response to a journalist’s question, he asserted that they are on the same side as the Catholic Church, which opposes the ratification of the convention.

– No, I am not worried. What matters to me is that 19 members of the HDZ Presidency are in favor, that we have raised the standards of democratic debate within HDZ, and that everyone was able to express their views and arguments. We clarified how each of us reads this convention, what we see and do not see in it, what it actually states, and what some think it might state. The majority clearly supported the proposal I put to a vote, Plenković told reporters after a four-hour session of the HDZ Presidency when asked if he was concerned that high-ranking party officials voted against ratification.

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He also believes that a large majority of HDZ representatives in the Croatian Parliament will vote for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention.

According to reports, those against were Deputy President Milijan Brkić, International Secretary Miro Kovač, Political Secretary Davor Ivo Stier, HDZ Vice President Ivana Maletić, and Presidency members Darko Milinović and Anton Kliman.

When asked if this indicates that he needs to change the people around him, Plenković replied that HDZ has procedures for how people come to responsible positions, and that differing opinions do not necessarily mean they cannot be in the same party or strive for the same values.

We are on the same side as the Catholic Church

When asked if this means they are not on the same side as the Catholic Church, which opposes the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, he said they are on the same side.

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– We are absolutely on the same side. This is a convention whose essence is the protection of women from violence and domestic violence. What is being publicly debated is secondary in this case. In my deep conviction, the ratification of this convention will not impose any obligations on the legal order of the Republic of Croatia that would be contrary to the values of HDZ, stated Prime Minister and HDZ President Andrej Plenković.

He reiterated that, among other things, as Prime Minister and HDZ President, he is implementing what HDZ outlined in its program before the elections and in the plan of legislative activities. Plenković emphasized that this addresses a very negative social problem, as a few years ago, 47 percent of all murders involved women, mostly by their partners.

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When asked if the ratification of the Istanbul Convention in Parliament depends on the opposition, he replied that it is an act that is ratified by a simple majority. He also announced that the interpretative statement, which will be part of the ratification law, will be published on Thursday after the Government session.

Announced protests are not against HDZ but are free expression of opinion in a democratic society

When asked about the announced protest against the ratification of the Istanbul Convention on Saturday, he said that these are not protests against HDZ, but rather free expression of opinion in a democratic society.

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– In a democratic society, everyone can express their opinion. We, as the government and the strongest political party in the Republic of Croatia with a clearly defined value system, propose a document that has been confirmed and is in force in 17 EU member states, 28 Council of Europe member states, signed by 45 countries, and developed by Croatian experts, he said.

When asked again if he is concerned that he does not have the Church’s support, he emphasized that he is interested in resolving a very significant problem that exists in many EU countries and unfortunately in Croatia with this act. “That is why this instrument is going into further procedure,” said Plenković.