Round table with political parties
13/11/2007
Submitted by
Kristijan Grđan
November 12th, 2007
RESULTS FROM THE ROUND TABLE ON RIGHTS OF SEXUAL AND GENDER MINORITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS TO THE CROATIAN PARLIAMENT
To whom it may concern:
The Lesbian Group Kontra and Iskorak – Sexual and Gender Minorities Rights Center held today the round table aimed to the parliamentarian political parties. All of the parliamentarian political parties were invited to the round table. The Croatian Peoples' Party – liberal democrats (CPP), Istrian Democrat Council (IDC), Social Democrat Party (SDP). Democrat Center (DC) and Croatian Social Liberal Party (CSLP) responded to the invitation. Although the Independent Democrat Serbian Party (IDSP) responded to the invitation, its representative didn't attend the round table. Although all the invitations were directed to presidents of political parties only the Croatian Peoples' Party was represented by its president Ms. Vesna Pusić. Other parties were represented by politicians with lower functions within the party and those representatives were Mr. Šime Lučin (SDP), Ms. Dorotea Pešić Bukovac (IDC), Mr. Daniel Birčić (DC) and Ms. Slavica Jakobović Fribec (CSLP). Besides them, while preparing round table we received information only from Croatian Peasant Party that they respond to the invitation due to numerous obligations they have during the election campaign. Representatives of other parties who did not attend the round said that they have not been decided yet and that they will inform the organizers on time. However, that has not happened.
The first question directed to the party representatives referred as to whether those parties support some of following rights: right to marry for same sex couples, right to enter registered partnership or possibility to adopt children by same sex couples. Only the Croatian People's Party supported marriage for same sex couples. Other parties which attended the round table support right of same sex couples to enter registered partnership with scope of the rights attributed to married and cohabitating partners. Furthermore, the Croatian Peoples' Party is of the opinion that it is needed to establish minimum of standards in the context of family law at the European level. Referring to children adoption all the parties said that they do not support such an option, especially due to inadequate social climate. Since DC and CSLP didn't support the Proposition of the Registered Partnership Act in the Croatian Parliamet they were asked what has been changed in their political views till present. The representative of the Democrat Center said that his party discussed that issue two months ago and that they brought positive attitude towards the registered partnership of same-sex couples. The representative of the Croatian Social Liberal Party said that their position has never been changed on that and that she „doesn't know why MP Mr. Čehok was restrained. “
The political parties were asked whether they would be willing to support recognition of same-sex unions in the Croatian Constitution on which question Ms. Vesna Pusić didn't respond since CPP already supports right of same-sex couples to marry and marriage is already recognized by the Croatian Constitution. The representatives of other political parties who supported registered partnership said that they would support recognition of same-sex unions by the Constitution. The only exception was representative of the CSLP who said that she cannot answer that question at this moment.
The third question related to presence of the rights of sexual and gender minorities within the programs of political parties. Furthermore, the question was, are members of these minorities represented within the lists of candidates. Except the SDP none of the other political parties said that their programs refer to the rights of sexual and gender minorities. Only the representative of the DC said that they have some members of sexual minorities on their lists of candidates but these candidates have not disclosed their sexual orientation publicly. The representatives of other political parties stated that their lists of candidates are opened to all candidates and that primary selection criterion is candidate's expertise.
In relation to the rights of transgender people only the SDP stated that, although the party didn't discussed this issue already, it would surely support an initiative that would bring to better protection of the rights of transgender people, while other representatives stated that their political parties did not discuss that issue already and that all of them advocate protection of human rights.
With best regards,
Sanja Juras
Coordinator of the Lesbian Group Kontra
Kristijan Grđan
Coordinator of Iskorak – Sexual and Gender Minorities' Rights Center
RESULTS FROM THE ROUND TABLE ON RIGHTS OF SEXUAL AND GENDER MINORITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FORTHCOMING ELECTIONS TO THE CROATIAN PARLIAMENT
To whom it may concern:
The Lesbian Group Kontra and Iskorak – Sexual and Gender Minorities Rights Center held today the round table aimed to the parliamentarian political parties. All of the parliamentarian political parties were invited to the round table. The Croatian Peoples' Party – liberal democrats (CPP), Istrian Democrat Council (IDC), Social Democrat Party (SDP). Democrat Center (DC) and Croatian Social Liberal Party (CSLP) responded to the invitation. Although the Independent Democrat Serbian Party (IDSP) responded to the invitation, its representative didn't attend the round table. Although all the invitations were directed to presidents of political parties only the Croatian Peoples' Party was represented by its president Ms. Vesna Pusić. Other parties were represented by politicians with lower functions within the party and those representatives were Mr. Šime Lučin (SDP), Ms. Dorotea Pešić Bukovac (IDC), Mr. Daniel Birčić (DC) and Ms. Slavica Jakobović Fribec (CSLP). Besides them, while preparing round table we received information only from Croatian Peasant Party that they respond to the invitation due to numerous obligations they have during the election campaign. Representatives of other parties who did not attend the round said that they have not been decided yet and that they will inform the organizers on time. However, that has not happened.
The first question directed to the party representatives referred as to whether those parties support some of following rights: right to marry for same sex couples, right to enter registered partnership or possibility to adopt children by same sex couples. Only the Croatian People's Party supported marriage for same sex couples. Other parties which attended the round table support right of same sex couples to enter registered partnership with scope of the rights attributed to married and cohabitating partners. Furthermore, the Croatian Peoples' Party is of the opinion that it is needed to establish minimum of standards in the context of family law at the European level. Referring to children adoption all the parties said that they do not support such an option, especially due to inadequate social climate. Since DC and CSLP didn't support the Proposition of the Registered Partnership Act in the Croatian Parliamet they were asked what has been changed in their political views till present. The representative of the Democrat Center said that his party discussed that issue two months ago and that they brought positive attitude towards the registered partnership of same-sex couples. The representative of the Croatian Social Liberal Party said that their position has never been changed on that and that she „doesn't know why MP Mr. Čehok was restrained. “
The political parties were asked whether they would be willing to support recognition of same-sex unions in the Croatian Constitution on which question Ms. Vesna Pusić didn't respond since CPP already supports right of same-sex couples to marry and marriage is already recognized by the Croatian Constitution. The representatives of other political parties who supported registered partnership said that they would support recognition of same-sex unions by the Constitution. The only exception was representative of the CSLP who said that she cannot answer that question at this moment.
The third question related to presence of the rights of sexual and gender minorities within the programs of political parties. Furthermore, the question was, are members of these minorities represented within the lists of candidates. Except the SDP none of the other political parties said that their programs refer to the rights of sexual and gender minorities. Only the representative of the DC said that they have some members of sexual minorities on their lists of candidates but these candidates have not disclosed their sexual orientation publicly. The representatives of other political parties stated that their lists of candidates are opened to all candidates and that primary selection criterion is candidate's expertise.
In relation to the rights of transgender people only the SDP stated that, although the party didn't discussed this issue already, it would surely support an initiative that would bring to better protection of the rights of transgender people, while other representatives stated that their political parties did not discuss that issue already and that all of them advocate protection of human rights.
With best regards,
Sanja Juras
Coordinator of the Lesbian Group Kontra
Kristijan Grđan
Coordinator of Iskorak – Sexual and Gender Minorities' Rights Center
