Foreign agencies report on the ratification of the Istanbul Convention that divided Croatian society

Foreign agencies reported on Friday that Croatia, despite sharp protests and opposition from conservative right-wing groups due to what they perceive as the introduction of gender ideology, has ratified the Istanbul Convention, which has sparked mass protests and divided not only society but also the membership of the ruling party HDZ.

The Istanbul Convention (IK) was accepted by the votes of 110 out of 142 present representatives, while 30 voted against, including some representatives of the ruling party, writes the Slovenian agency STA.

>>> Ratification of the Istanbul Convention voted in

Opponents of the convention ratified in 29 countries, of which 18 are members of the European Union, emphasize that they support the fight against domestic violence, but reject the definition of gender in this document which, in their opinion, paves the way for the introduction of “gender ideology” and “transgender” individuals as a separate category, the agencies write.

“Protesters and the Catholic Church see this Convention as a way to introduce ‘gender theory’ and undermine traditional values, family, and Christianity,” writes the French agency France Presse.

>>> Mons. Želimir Puljić: The Istanbul Convention is one of many deviations

The Church even called the document heretical, adds AFP, quoting a statement from the Archbishop of Zadar, Želimir Puljić.

Reuters reminds that the ruling coalition, in order to appease the opponents of the Convention, accepted a special interpretative statement stating that the IK will not change the legal definition of marriage in Croatia as a community between a man and a woman.

>>> In the Parliament, the majority of parliamentary clubs supported the Istanbul Convention

“The controversy over this document has lasted a long time and has divided not only Croatian society but also the membership within the ruling HDZ,” writes the Serbian agency Tanjug.

“Opposition from some HDZ representatives was expected,” writes the Slovenian agency STA, explaining that this was one of the rare examples in the history of Croatian parliamentarism where some representatives of the parliamentary majority do not wish to support the proposal of their own government.

Agencies report that the discussion and voting in the Parliament were preceded by mass protests in Zagreb, and on Thursday, the day before the vote, a gathering in Split attracted 15,000 people, according to police claims, and 70,000 according to the organizers.

>>> Brkić: I will vote against the ratification of the IK, but it will not jeopardize the unity of the HDZ

“At the gathering, they sharply criticized primarily Prime Minister (Andrej) Plenković and his government, but not because of the Istanbul Convention,” claims STA.

Conservative groups announce that they will seek a referendum in the hope that the government will be forced to withdraw from the Convention, the agencies write, noting that it is necessary to collect more than 350,000 voter signatures for this.

Reuters reports that, according to the interpretation of some legal experts, the Constitutional Court could reject the possibility of a referendum because it concerns an agreement on human rights.