NGOs Seek Referendum On NATO Entry

NGOs from all over Croatia expressed concern over the lack of referendum on NATO entry in a letter to the Government.

On behalf of 32 non-governmental organizations, the letter was signed by Gordan Bosanac from the Centre for Peace Studies and Nikolina Svalina from the Centre for Peace, Nonviolence and Human Rights. They are expressing concern because the Government has not yet opened public dialogue with citizens on Croatia's entry in NATO in spite of the years of preparations that it made for the purpose of entering the alliance. 

The letter states that the Government has not offered complete and multifaceted information on the costs and benefits of Croatia's entry in NATO and on the costs and benefits of not entering, which are requisite for the citizens to make an informed, independent, and responsible decision in regard to the entry. 

Moreover, the Government has not developed any alternatives to the NATO entry and is conducting a campaign the main goal of which is to advocate Croatia's entry in NATO and not to communicate with the citizens about to the advantages and disadvantages of the entry, so the announced strategy is a propaganda strategy and not an unbiased strategy of informing and communicating, the letter states. 

We think that the Government has the obligation to prepare and present full, accurate, and unbiased information on the costs of benefits of entering and not entering NATO to the citizens as soon as possible. The Government should put together a communication strategy which would bring the costs and benefits analyses closer to the public. After the implementation of the strategy, we ask the members of the Croatian Parliament, the President, and the Government to initiate a referendum on Croatia's entry in NATO, in accordance with the Constitution, the letter states.

Thinking that the Government has not acknowledged its commitment and responsibility to offer objective information on Croatia's entry in NATO to the citizens and that it has no intention to hold a referendum, non-governmental organizations will organize themselves, appear before the public, and give a critical view of the information and standpoints that the Government has offered to the citizens as well as offer the citizens different information on the advantages and disadvantages of Croatia's entry in NATO, they point out. 

Non-governmental organizations will also invite citizens to publicly express their disagreement with such a stance on part of the Government toward the citizens and, if the Government, Parliament, and President do not agree to having a referendum, NGOs will also consider the possibility of organizing a timely signing of a petition to have the referendum.