The Bishop of Sisak is known for his hardline political positions.
The Bishop of Sisak Vlado Košić, known for his hardline conservative views, has sent a public letter to Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, criticizing his decision to enter into a coalition with HNS, a nominally liberal party, reports Index.hr on June 14, 2017.
Košić criticized Plenković for getting rid of Zlatko Hasanbegović and Bruna Esih, two conservative MPs who have formed a new political party, and wrote that HDZ should no longer be considered as a Christian-Democrat party. He also accused Plenković of entering into a coalition with a party that was seen as an enemy until recently and said that Plenković did not care about the people, which are 86 percent Catholic.
“With this coalition with the party which was until just recently considered as an enemy – to save your government – you have demonstrated complete insensitivity for the feelings and values that the majority of the Croatian people have. With this move, you will get a short-term extension of this government's life, but you will lose in the long run exactly what your campaign's motto was: credibility! I call this political prostitution.
You have abandoned Mr. Hasanbegović and Mrs. Esih, people of high morality and patriotism, and have taken into your club those who have advocated accusations against the Croatian people, who are against life, and who have no national feelings.
That is your right – to decide on the strategic and personal policies of your party and the government you are leading – but it is the right of us, ordinary citizens and voters who are watching you and have the right to judge, to tell you what we think about it.
Therefore, please stop pointing out that your party is Christian-Democrat – because it no longer is, at least not while you are leading it. Is it in the Christian-Democratic spirit to accept, as your Deputy Prime Ministe,r a person who takes part in the gay pride parade, while you have abandoned an individual who participated in the walk for life?
In this context, I also see the disastrous neglect of the town of Sisak, in which the war between the two factions of your party took place before the recent local elections. That was used by the newly-reelected comrade Mayor of the town.
You do not care about the people, which are 86% Catholic, and I am worried because I feel that you have taken the wrong path. I had the need to tell you that, although I do not expect that you will think about it and change your attitudes, which is something I would like to happen.
I pray for you, but God does not listen to me anymore when it comes to you.”
