ZAGREB, Oct 31 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said on Friday the message bishops issued yesterday ahead of next month's parliamentary elections was in keeping with their previous messages and that the pope had said nearly
the same thing.
ZAGREB, Oct 31 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said on
Friday the message bishops issued yesterday ahead of next month's
parliamentary elections was in keeping with their previous
messages and that the pope had said nearly the same thing. #L#
Commenting on the message in which Croatian bishops called on the
faithful to vote and objected to the legalisation of same-sex
marriages and abortion, Mesic said the majority of Croats had
expected a message of that kind.
"It is along the lines of every message our bishops have released so
far. The Holy Father gave a similar message about abortion and same-
sex marriages," Mesic said, adding that such marriages could not be
equated to those between a man and a woman.
"Nobody reasonable can endorse abortion, but given that we live in a
society which starts from man's freedom, it's a question of human
convictions and everyone should decide for themselves," Mesic
said.
He felt that the bishops' call on citizens to go to the polls was
very good. "If we don't vote, we have no right to criticise the
elected authorities," Mesic said, adding that Croatia would have
the government it had chosen. "One has to go to the polls," he
concluded.
(hina) ha sb