On the occasion of the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, a European IDAHO Forum was held 13 and 14 May in Valletta, with Assistant Minister for Multilateral Affairs and Global Issues Vesna Batistić Kos in attendance.
At a ministerial meeting held as part of the forum, Batistić Kos presented Croatia’s policy and activities aimed at protecting and strengthening the status of LGBT persons in Croatia, in a European and global contexts. She announced a passing of the Life Partnership Act, which harmonizes the Croatian legislature with that of the EU.
Batistić Kos signed a joint document – the Declaration of Intent, in which the 19 countries support further measures to improve the status of LGBT persons: passing the appropriate legal solutions, ensuring the freedom of speech and assembly, fighting hate crimes, ensuring discrimination-free education and cooperating with NGOs.
The Croatian government’s support for LGBT rights is also reflected in this year’s report by EU Agency for Fundamental Rights and the most prominent European NGO for LGBT rights – ILGA Europe.