CROATIA SAYS NO TO GAY MARRIAGE!

Zagreb (AFP) – A strong majority in staunchly Catholic Croatia voted Sunday to outlaw same-sex marriage in a referendum sought by a Church-backed group but strongly opposed by rights groups, nearly complete official results showed.

A total of 65.76 percent of voters said they wanted to amend the constitution to include a definition of marriage as a “union between a woman and a man”, according to results from almost 99 percent of polling stations released by the electoral commission.

Croatia’s current constitution does not define marriage.

Passions ran high in Croatia ahead of the vote, with the Church-backed “yes” camp citing the defence of traditional family values and their opponents accusing them of discrimination against gays.

However, three hours before voting ended, the turnout was a rather low 26.75 percent, the electoral commission said.

Under Croatian law, a referendum does not require a majority voter turnout to be valid.

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A doctor from Zagreb’s main maternity hospital holds …
A doctor from Zagreb’s main maternity hospital holds a badge in Zagreb on November 29, 2013, with a …

The centre-left government, rights activists and prominent public figures had all spoken out against the measure.

But the recent unveiling of a government bill enabling gay couples to register as “life partners” sparked fears among conservatives in Croatia — which joined the European Union in July — that same-sex marriage would be next.

In May, a Church-backed group called “In the Name of the Family” collected almost 700,000 signatures seeking a nationwide vote on the definition of marriage.

“We showed that we know, like David fighting against Goliath, how to direct our small slingstones in the same direction,” the initiative’s leader, Zeljka Markic, told her cheering supporters in their electoral headquarters late Sunday.

“This time for the protection of marriage, and next time for something else of the same importance,” she added, without elaborating.

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Croatian gay rights activists hold signs reading “Stop …
Croatian gay rights activists hold signs reading “Stop fascism” and “I vote against” as hundreds mar …

The vote’s opponents denounced the referendum as discriminatory and warned it could pave the way for other conservative initiatives targeting minorities or on issues such as abortion.

Premier calls vote ‘sad and senseless’

Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic labelled the referendum “sad and senseless” and voiced hope it was the last vote on such an issue.

Analysts say economic troubles in the country — which has been hit by a long recession that has left many unemployed and frustrated — has boosted radicalism of all sorts.

“Today homosexuals are on the agenda, tomorrow it will be those who have bicycles, then people with dogs, Jews, we know how it goes,” warned Ilija Desnica, a man in his 60s who said he voted “no”.

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Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic arrives on …
Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic arrives on October 24, 2013 to attend a European Council mee …

“This is the entry of fascism through the back door.”

But the powerful Church urged its followers to vote “yes”, in a country where almost 90 percent of the population are Roman Catholics.

“Marriage is the only union enabling procreation,” said Croatia’s Cardinal Josip Bozanic in a letter read out in churches across the country.

“This is the key difference between a marriage… and other unions.”

The leader of the main opposition HDZ party, Tomislav Karamarko, echoed the view and stressed that “unfortunately, we are obliged to put into the constitution something which is natural.”

Explaining his decision to cast a “yes” ballot, voter Krunoslav Knezevic told AFP: “I’m a father of three children and that explains everything.

“Marriage is a union of a woman and a man designed so that children are born in it. I’m not certain that a same-sex couple can have children in a natural way,” he added ironically.

Despite Sunday’s result, attitudes towards gay rights have slowly become more liberal in Croatia.

When the country’s first Gay Pride parade was held in Zagreb in 2002, dozens of participants were beaten up by extremists.

But gay rights marches are now staged regularly, though still under heavy security. The issue is also discussed more openly in the media and homosexuals are less fearful of “coming out”.

In 2003 Croatia adopted a law recognising same-sex couples who have lived together for at least three years — although apart from official acknowledgement, the measure grants them few rights.

Sunday’s vote was the first citizen-initiated referendum since Croatia’s independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991.

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Croatian gay rights supporters hold a giant rainbow flag outside the parliament building in Saint Marko Square in Zagreb during a protest on November 30, 2013 on the eve of a constitutional referendum that could outlaw same-sex marriage

A doctor from Zagreb’s main maternity hospital holds a badge in Zagreb on November 29, 2013, with a slogan for a ‘Yes’ vote at Croatia’s December 1 referendum that could rule out same-sex marriage in the predominantly Catholic EU member

Croatian gay rights activists hold signs reading “Stop fascism” and “I vote against” as hundreds march in Zagreb during a protest escorted by police on November 30, 2013 on the eve of a constitutional referendum that could outlaw same-sex marriage

Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic arrives on October 24, 2013 to attend a European Council meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels