Croatia, Europe

Homosexual sex was legalised in 1977. The age of consent was equalised in 1998. Homosexuals are not banned from military service. There is legal recognition of same-sex couples, which allows for unregistered cohabitation since 2003. Tolerance of gay people is growing in the main cities, while the rural areas remain anti-homosexual. There exists a small gay scene around the country, that is however growing rapidly as well as the number of strong lesbian and LGBTIQ activist groups. Participants in past Zagreb Pride experienced public opposition but subsequent events in the city have occurred with stronger police protection, and have been free of such incidents.

 

News & Reports:

 

Town cheers as they burn effigy of same-sex couple and baby

The Prime Minister of Croatia has condemned the ‘arsonists’ in Imotski. Residents of a small Croatian town cheered yesterday as they set fire to the effigy of a same-sex couple and their adopted baby. The incident happened during the carnival in the town of Imotski, Croatia on Sunday (23 February). The carnival is a 150-year… Read more »

Hundreds attend pro-LGBTI protest after gas attack on Croatia gay club night

Two people were injured in the Sunday night attack Hundreds of people joined a pro-LGBTI protest in Zagreb after unknown attackers released tear gas during a gay club night. On early Sunday morning (12 February), someone threw a canister of tear gas into Super Super club, where a gay club night was in full swing.… Read more »

Thousands march for gay rights in Poland, Croatia, Italy

Warsaw, Poland — Several thousand people marched Saturday in colorful gay pride events in Italy, Poland and Croatia urging support for minority rights in the mostly Catholic nations. The parades in Poland and Croatia come amid mounting right-wing sentiments that pose new challenges to gay rights activists. In Italy, however, the gay pride celebration comes… Read more »

LGBT in the Balkans: “Two steps forward and one step back”

Dutch MEP Marije Cornelissen (Greens/EFA) – a member of the Parliamentary Group for the rights of homosexual, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons—describes the current state of the fight against homophobia and for LGBT rights in the Balkans During the past EP legislature you have been working on the issue of homophobia in the Balkans. How… Read more »

Two weeks after Croatia banned gay marriage, PM proposes civil unions

  Zoran Milanovic is determined to bring in more rights for gay couples after 65% of Croatian voters said they were against equal marriage While Croatia may have voted at the ballot box to ban gay marriage, the liberal Prime Minister is determined to bring in rights for same-sex couples. The government has presented ‘life… Read more »

Two weeks after Croatia banned gay marriage, PM proposes civil unions

Zoran Milanovic is determined to bring in more rights for gay couples after 65% of Croatian voters said they were against equal marriage While Croatia may have voted at the ballot box to ban gay marriage, the liberal Prime Minister is determined to bring in rights for same-sex couples. The government has presented ‘life partnership’… Read more »

Croatia referendum votes for gay marriage ban

65 percent of Croatians answered ‘yes’ to ballot question banning same-sex marriage The referendum to forbid marriage equality in Croatia has won an overwhelming majority. The state’s electoral commission, citing close to complete numbers, noted that 65% of voters voted ‘yes’ on the following ballot question: ‘Do you agree that marriage is matrimony between a… Read more »

Gay rights supporters protest in Croatia

Hundreds of gay rights supporters in conservative and mainly Catholic Croatia have staged a protest, on the eve of a constitutional referendum that could outlaw same-sex marriage in the EU’s newest member state. More than 1000 people braved the cold and rainy weather to gather in a square in downtown Zagreb for a protest march… Read more »

Croatia rejects gay marriage in referendum: partial results

Agence France-Presse – A strong majority in staunchly Catholic Croatia voted Sunday to outlaw same-sex marriage in a referendum sought by a Church-backed group but strongly opposed by rights groups, partial results showed. A total of 64.84 percent of voters said “yes” to the question of whether they wanted to amend the constitution to include… Read more »

Croatia: Mayor of Zagreb agrees to host and sponsor annual LGBT conference

Following a meeting held on monday with Croatian LGBT groups, the Mayor of Zagreb Milan Bandic has said the city would host and sponsor an annual LGBT conference. The annual conference of ILGA-Europe, now to take place in the city will have family relations as its main theme. “Zagreb is a tolerant, secure and hospitable… Read more »

Croatia to stage twelfth pride march in protest for equal marriage

A Croatian gay pride parade will take to the streets on Saturday against a backdrop of a proposed referendum to define marriage as a heterosexual union The event follows the recently planned initiative intended to rule out the possibility of legalising same-sex marriages. LGBT campaigners against the referendum plan to march in Croatia’s capital city,… Read more »

Gay rights demonstration in Croatia

The issue of gay rights is currently fuelling debate across Europe. In Croatia, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists gathered outside Zagreb’s main cathedral. This time, it was not about gay marriage, but education. The government and church are at loggerheads over a new curriculum for state primary schools, with sections on sexual minorities and… Read more »

Croatian court condemns football chief for gay hate

Vlatko Markovic, former president of the football federation, said: ‘Footballers are not gay, they are healthy people.’ Now tribunal rules he must apologize The Croatian Supreme Court has ordered the former chief of the HNS, the national football federation, to publicly apologize for his homophobia. Vlatko Markovic, 75, said to a journalist asking him if… Read more »

Gay march key tolerance test for EU-bound Croatia

Split, Croatia (AFP) — Hundreds of riot police were on guard Saturday as Croatia’s second city hosted a gay parade seen as a test of tolerance in the EU-bound country after violence last year left a dozen people injured. More than 500 people — many carrying the rainbow flags which are symbol of gay activism… Read more »

Croatian city of Split divided over gay pride after violent clashes

Split authorities force change to LGBT pride route after attacks last year. Gay organizers will appeal in court Authorities in the Croatian city of Split should allow the local gay pride march to stick to its route and make sure it is properly protected, Human Rights Watch has said today (31 May). Last year’s pride… Read more »

Croatia to recognise same-sex marriages

Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic announces plans to recognise partnerships, getting them closer to marriage The prime minister of Croatia has announced plans to recognise at least some ‘gay marriage’ rights. Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic told reporters that registered partnerships would be ‘a somewhat higher standard than what we have now,’ according to the Associated Press,… Read more »

First EU-wide survey on life for gay, bi and trans citizens opens

Gay, bi and transgender adults from around the EU and Croatia are being asked to take part in the first European LGBT survey of its kind. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights launched the survey on the LGBT experience of life in member states today. It is hoped the results will support the development… Read more »

Croatian football chief says sorry for anti-gay comments

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution which reminds Croatia of its obligation to protect gay citizens from homophobia and homophobic violence before it joins the EU in 2013. Last year, the European Parliament said Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey had to prove they could offer “genuine protection” to gay people in order to become member… Read more »

Hundreds arrested, several hurt in Croatian anti-gay violence

Zagreb/Belgrade – An estimated 300 people were arrested and five hospitalized after violence erupted to protest the first Gay Pride parade in the Croatian port city of Split on Saturday, news website Index reported. Police used teargas and batons to protect between 150-300 gay rights supporters when a 10,000-strong mob attacked them, hurling stones, bottles… Read more »

Gay-friendly Croatia Comes Out

Croatia is coming out of the closet this year. Nice things are happening: the second gay discoteque has opened in Zagreb, Split will host its own gay pride, the LGBT scene is rapidly changing and growing and, most importantly, Rab island, one of Cratia’s thousand islands welcomes LGBT guests more friendly than any other destination… Read more »

Gay Croatia News & Reports 2010-11

1 European Parliament says candidate countries must offer gays protection 2/10 2 Zagreb Pride Against Homophobia and Transphobia 5/10 3 ‘Croatia Can Accept It’ 5/10 4 Split Gay Pride Abandoned Amid Riots 5/11 5 Unsafe Gay Pride Event in Split Casts …6/11 5a A Refracted Rainbow 6/11 6 Police Protect Gay Pride Rallies Across Balkans… Read more »

Gay Croatia News & Reports 1998-2009

0 Croatia: Ex-soldier persecuted because of homosexuality 11/98 1 Croatian homosexuals step out from shadow to demand equal civil rights 7/02 2 Croatian gays join first ‘pride’ march 6/02 3 Croatian homosexuals want laws to protect their rights 1/03 4 Croatia provides partnership rights to gay couples 7/03 5 Croatia legislation recognises gay couples 8/03… Read more »