It seems the Balkans are returning to ideologies that were supposed to have disappeared with the independence gained after 1987. But in many places, like Hungary and Kosovo, and now Croatia, there is a return to a dark ideological past, whether it'd be Hungary's embrace of its Nazi supporting past, or Croatia and the Balkans' caustic view of gay rights.
On December 1, Croatia will hold a special referendum on gay marriage. But the referendum was not done to promote gay marriage, but rather to ban it forevermore.
Croatia is a country that seems stuck between its Russian dominated past, and the present EU member status. The newfound inclusion in the European union has done little to improve its lack of progressive ideas. Just as in Russia, the Croats seem to want to entrench in a religiously motivated ideology. The country is after all Roman Catholic for the most part. And that is enough to block any activities from gay rights activists that promote a better, more inclusive society.
A petition circulated to promote the legislation proposed in the coming referendum was almost instantly filled with more than 700,000 signatures, more than enough to call the referendum. The initiative was promoted by a right wing, or some say 'conservative' group that sought to re-establish principles of dogma that define the legal and religious meaning of marriage as only between a man and a woman.
A great majority of the Croatia parliament voted to hold the referendum, 104 out of 151.
Op-Ed
Partial Source: France 24/ 11.08.13
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