ZAGREB, March 24, 2018 - Social Democratic Party (SDP) president Davor Bernardić said on Saturday it was "evident that Croatia needs the SDP" and that the strongest opposition party was "readier than ever to assume responsibility for the third time."
"Our country needs politicians willing to work for others, not for themselves and their pockets (and) a government which is there for the people," Bernardić said at an SDP Main Committee session. He was confident that "the SDP is growing and will continue to grow," although public opinion polls show a continuous decline in support in the past few months.
He said a period of fighting for Croatia was ahead of the SDP. He said the government "doesn't care for man," whereas man "should be the focus because that means freedom and equality for every individual, regardless of religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation."
"No woman in Croatia must feel unprotected or insecure again. We must enable them to freely work and live, without fear and consequences," he said, reiterating that the SDP supported the ratification of the Istanbul Convention without reservations.
"The reservations are aimed against people, notably those the HDZ and its partners consider others and different. We are completely sure that... with the adoption of the Convention, human lives will be saved. This is the continuation of the fight for Croatia without discrimination on any grounds."
Bernardić said the people of Croatia only wanted to be equal and free, free of pressure from conservative and reactionary forces in society because "Croatia is changing and no one can stop that."
He said Croatia must start making tough decisions. He also said attempts were being made to "destroy" the SDP through lies to divert attention from the real problems in the country. He said one of such insinuations was the formation a grand coalition, resolutely dismissing the possibility of a coalition with the ruling HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union).
