In light of the HDSSB party’s decision to run for office a person sentenced for war crimes, and/or be the holder of their election lists, GONG emphatically decries the absurdness and chaos in Croatia’s current election legislature. Further, GONG requests a comprehensive reform of the electoral legislature, whereby a ban must be introduced to prevent persons sentenced for criminal offense to run for office or be the holders of an election list until the end of the offenders’ rehabilitation process, and especially while they are still serving their sentence.
In light of the HDSSB party’s decision to run for office a person sentenced for war crimes, and/or be the holder of their election lists, GONG emphatically decries the absurdness and chaos in Croatia’s current election legislature. Further, GONG requests a comprehensive reform of the electoral legislature, whereby a ban must be introduced to prevent persons sentenced for criminal offense to run for office or be the holders of an election list until the end of the offenders’ rehabilitation process, and especially while they are still serving their sentence.
A war crime conviction, particularly in this context, must have very clear consequences. A person sentenced for a criminal offense that is considered the most serious form of crime, and with still no possibility of prosecution by international law, cannot be a figure on the political scene nor be part of the most important step within the democratic process – elections. Such a decision actually makes a mockery of this democratic institution, i.e. the holder of the election list, which is contrary to the spirit of the constitution.
As such, we expect that the responsible institutions, particularly the Constitutional Court, fill in the legal loopholes and assume responsibility by acting in a timely fashion, thus sending the message that political decisions cannot be made by persons and organizations that do not accept and respect the constitutional order and the basic values of our political community. At the same time, we cherish the timeliness, argumentativeness, and the unambiguous nature of yesterday’s opinion by the State Election Committee, which has prevented a possible crises and political manipulation in the candidacy selection process.
It is devastating for the development of our political culture when one political party decides that its list is personified by an individual sentenced for war crimes. It is also concerning that the same party dares to exempt itself from respecting the judicial system and, subsequently, the entire political system of the Republic of Croatia, all the while masquerading itself as a legitimate political participant.