(The Croatian version of this article ran in today's Jutarnji List, Croatia's largest daily newspaper.)
An Expat in Zagreb
By Roger Malone
When George W. Bush won a second term as president of the United States in 2004, Thomas Friedman started his column in the New York Times, “Well, as Grandma used to say, at least I still have my health.” I’m not sure Croatia has its health anymore.
Watching the results of Sunday’s referendum was like watching a beloved relative with cancer who refuses to give up smoking. Actually, the metaphor is understated. In Croatia’s case, the patient takes up smoking in the middle of treatment.
An Expat in Zagreb
By Roger Malone
When George W. Bush won a second term as president of the United States in 2004, Thomas Friedman started his column in the New York Times, “Well, as Grandma used to say, at least I still have my health.” I’m not sure Croatia has its health anymore.
Watching the results of Sunday’s referendum was like watching a beloved relative with cancer who refuses to give up smoking. Actually, the metaphor is understated. In Croatia’s case, the patient takes up smoking in the middle of treatment.
Croatia’s economic problems are profound and complex. But,
if the experience from successful emerging markets is any guidance, part of the
solution includes building effective democratic institutions, defining a
positive vision for the future and creating an attractive climate for foreign
investment. Like putting down the
cigarettes, these prescriptions are straightforward and generally accepted.
Instead, despite almost five years of economic misery with
little hope for immediate recovery, Croatia in Sunday’s vote bypassed such
common-sense approaches. In a thinly veiled attack on gays orchestrated by a Catholic
group, it chose to defend a traditional definition of marriage that was never
under threat. As President Josipović
suggested, the vote Sunday may establish Croatia as a country of intolerance at
a time when the global trend is toward tolerance. Even Pope Francis has warned
against the church’s obsession with conservative issues including gay
marriages.
The referendum did no one any good and changes nothing for most Croats. Only gays, the target of this
oppressive measure, will feel a slight sting. (“Slight” because “marriage” is
just a word. The Sabor can still define civil unions any way it sees fit with
whatever rights it deems appropriate.) If the referendum had failed, no one was
going to force a straight Croat to marry someone of the same sex. Ever.
Yet the potential for harm is vast. "While many countries have not legalized gay marriage, Croatia here seems to go out of its way to be negative to gay people," Paul Barnes, head of communications for the Gay European Travel Association (GETA), told Bloomberg News. "Even though the proposed change to the constitution doesn't take away any existing gay rights, it will be seen as a negative moment, and a setback like this can act as a catalyst that mobilizes the gay community."
GETA estimates that gays spend about 50 billion euros a year on travel in Europe and has recommended more than 50 gay-friendly hotels in Croatia. The potential of a travel boycott by gays, their friends and families might just be bluster, but was the risk worth it for a backward measure that means little? It will be impossible to calculate how many months or years -- if any, of course -- passing the referendum will delay Croatia's economic recovery. Tourism numbers next year will offer only a hint.
But Croatia might not have to wait that long to feel the repercussions of the referendum's victory. From an AFP story, Zeljka Markić with In the Name of the Family, the group behind the referendum, said soon after the votes were counted, "This time (it was) for the protection of marriage, and next time for something else of the same importance." The only thing missing was a melodramatic laugh at the end, bwa ha ha ha. Her group barred respectable media outlets from its headquarters on referendum day, illustrating its regard for democratic institutions such as a free press.
Some people I've talked with will see the referendum as a victory for democracy, for majority rule, It's not. The majority of Croats were simply apathetic. Also, "majority rule" is the easiest concept of democracy to grasp. A much more difficult concept is that in a mature democracy the majority must also protect the rights of the minority, even and especially those it might not like. Croatia still seems to be working on that part. Maybe as more people are caught by "something else of the same importance" to Markić the idea will start to sink in.
[Follow Roger Malone
on twitter at @ExpatinZagreb or at www.expatinzagreb.blogspot.com]
This really hit the mark. If anything, both sides should be able to realize and admit it was completely ludicrous to spend almost 50 million kn on this travesty. What? Appeasing the great Croatian Catholic ego. It makes me feel sick and ashamed to say I'm Croatian.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do believe that gay rights, along with Vukovar sadly, have become just a buzzword. Whenever something bad is happening, someone shouts GAY and we all forget what we were talking about. We're not talking about what we need to be talking about. Like the fact that now we're supposed to pay for university education and still aren't able to find employment afterwards. Like water privatization. Like the rising numbers of unemployed and homeless people. Like reducing employee rights and enabling exploitation of workers. Gays don't eat little children, but ruthless capitalism does. And all we do is retreat into the Middle Ages so we don't have to talk.
Quite right that this referendum was a complete waste of time and money which could have been so much better spent.
ReplyDeleteHowever, with a loophole in the law it was not possible for the government to disallow the referendum without being accused of denying this group their legal rights.
I am convinced this loophole will be closed very soon.
However bad it looks from the outside, I don't believe this vote shows that Croatia is a country teeming with homophobes. It shows up the Croatian Catholic Church as a deeply un-Christian organisation, but we who live here knew that anyway.
Firstly, the way U ime obitelji was allowed to phrase the question resulted in a great deal of confusion. It presented the question as "Do you support the definition of marriage as the union of a man and a woman?", which for many people is kind of hard to argue with. Meanwhile, the real question was "Do you support denying gay couples the same rights as heterosexual couples?" I hope a change to the law will ensure that an independent arbitrator will ensure that (mis)leading questions are disallowed.
Secondly, very few Croatians have had the chance to meet gay people and understand that the gay community poses no threat to anyone. Before the war, homosexual acts were criminal offences. So in 23 years, 40% of people who voted have already shown they think differently. It's been wonderful to see an outpouring of heartfelt support for the gay community from a wide cross-section of society. This can be seen as significant progress, and it's been pointed out that we should thank Ms Markic and her backers for unprecedented media coverage in support of the gay community.
Finally, as we all expected, U ime obitelji have already announced further and deeper attacks on personal freedoms, but I feel this is really going to antagonise people.
It's frightening the level of financial power and organisation capability that UIE wield, but for all that, as well as all the exhortations from the pulpits on Sunday, it's encouraging that so few people were actually motivated to vote.
Let's hope the outlook is not so bleak after all.
I do agree with most of the comments but the analysis of the referendum is rather shallow, even on the part of government representatives..The referendum does not reflect the opinion of the Croatain majority but only of the people that voted.Unfortunately, the most democratic and far-seeing crowd is totally unconcerned with the issues of the day and referendums and they didn't vote. The governmet authorities, opposed to the extreme right wing, failed to put a ban on referendum,which could be argued legaly, constitutionaly and on other aspects. It was uncalled for, because family rights were never put to question or threatened. It should institutionalize a committee which should judge if the future referendums are in breach of democratic rights of any people or minorities.Croatian government is like abig elephant in a china shop, by the time it turns around to react it breaks a few things instead of argumenting to their advantage.The referendum is not the will of the people it is a will of interest groups which may or may not be based in Croatia.Be ashamed that I am a Croatian? My goodness, how easily we blush! Let's better say there is a sad majority of people,the unconcerned mass of dissilusioned people who just laugh at the parade passing them by and don't realize that the y should be the moving force in the future of Croatia.
ReplyDelete