In the past few weeks, Marches for Life have been held in 12 Croatian cities, with these events designed to draw attention to the need for the protection of life from conception to natural death.
The demonstrations were organized by several pro-life non-governmental organizations, with the largest one being “In the Name of the Family.”
The March for Life (Hod za život) has taken place in Croatia since 2016. Its participants say they march through Croatian cities to send a message about the importance of protecting life. This year, the largest turnout of around 10,000 people was in Zagreb, which is the capital of Croatia.
It is worth mentioning that Croatia has a law from the communist era that legalizes abortion on demand. The recurring Marches for Life demonstrates that an awareness of the need to change this law is slowly but steadily growing in Croatia.
This is also evidenced by the fact that the pro-life movement in this country is gaining strength year after year.
Here is what I wrote after the first March for Life, which took place in June 2016 in Zagreb:
“What happened today in Zagreb will forever change Croatia. Everyone who was there knows it well. Its participants are not alone in their desire to protect life from conception to natural death. They are not alone in their disagreement with the culture of death, as described by St. John Paul II. They are not alone in their solidarity with the weakest and most defenseless, whom society constantly exposes to violence.”
Since then, up until today, a lot has truly changed in Croatian society. The awareness of the need to defend the lives of the unborn is growing stronger. This is also indicated by the fact that in one of the largest hospitals in Zagreb, Sveti Duh, where the gynecology department is highly respected, all doctors refuse to perform abortions due to the conscience clause.
Many analysts believe that it is only a matter of time before a political force emerges in Croatia that will unequivocally raise the issue of the need to restrict abortion.
Obviously Communism never left Croatia. “ It is worth mentioning that Croatia has a law from the communist era that legalizes abortion on demand. ”