Government Bypasses Citizens

I demand a referendum so that Croatian citizens can decide if they want to enter new associations that will change our life fundamentally.

Sports halls worth 100 million euros will be constructed in Croatia through direct settlement without public tenders, the Croatian government decided. The question is where the mentioned 100 million euros came from and in case we do have them, why don’t we, for instance, spend it on establishing a quick, efficient, modern and corruption-free health care system?

I am no longer an earl…

The poor health care standard in Croatia is a big problem and all of those who did not have to experience it themselves are the lucky ones. An even greater issue is too great social differences that have occurred in the past 15 years after a hideous privatisation and corruption.

This inequality of social status might be seen most clearly in the statement of the Croatian Peasants’ Party (HSS) national tribune, Joza Pankretic, before the Croatian Parliament:”… When in 1990 I went to parliament, I was also an earl because some came from prison and others from the street, they didn’t even have a bag, and now they got ahead of me; and they didn’t even use a turn signal, now they are buying factories and the like. Now I am no longer an earl…”.

Unfortunately, while the minority was getting richer, the majority found it tough to make ends meet. But it seems that the people did not find this as hard as when we were stricken by the loss of unity and a feeling from the beginning of the 90`s, creating the frameworks of a country we always dreamt about. Heroic defence, rosemary in hand and victory in the Homeland war revived all of our aspirations for a country of our own.

Pride, happiness, relief

The people opted for a country of their own at the referendum, we proclaimed independence and sovereignty, we severed the state and legal relations with the former Yugoslav Federation and gained international recognition of our independence.

I still remember that feeling… Pride… Happiness… Relief…

That is why today I am afraid of announcements from the ruling ones on the change of the Constitution by which we, the citizens, would be bypassed when it comes to making decisions on Croatia entering the EU and NATO – associations different from the ones we got out of in the 90`s but surely associations that will change our life fundamentally.

That is why, now, as we are marking 15 years of international recognition of the Republic of Croatia, I wish to say publicly once more that I love my Homeland endlessly… and that I do not belong to any group of “sceptics”… and that this reason is good enough for my right not to be taken away from me to speak MY position on the future of MY HOMELAND – at a referendum.

Marijana Petir, HSS