THE RIGHTS OF SAME-SEX UNIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

Istospolna zajednica označava emocionalnu, fizičku, duhovnu zajednicu osoba istog spola. Privlačnost osoba istog spola se u prošlosti smatrala činom bliskosti i ljubavi, no vremenom gubi popularnost i istospolne zajednice postaju društveno osuđivane. U Republici Hrvatskoj, homoseksualnost je dekriminalizirana 1977. godine. Povelja o temeljnim pravima Europske unije (2009) navodi da je ljudsko dostojanstvo nepovredivo, jamči pravo na nediskriminaciju na temelju spolne orijentacije te jednakost. Ulaskom u Europsku uniju, Republika Hrvatska je prilagodila određene propise europskom Standardu. Zakon o životnom partnerstvu istog spola (2014) uređuje životno partnerstvo osoba istog spola, sklapanje i prestanak životnog partnerstva. Na snazi je i Obiteljski zakon koji u cijelosti diskriminira na temelju spolne orijentacije onemogućujući ista prava istospolnim parovima. Komparativnom analizom uspoređen je položaj i zaštita prava istospolnih zajednica u Europskoj uniji s posebnim naglaskom na Republiku Hrvatsku. Cilj istraživanja je ispitati stavove i prikupiti podatke koji će pomoći da se pronađu pravni i politički odgovori koji onemogućavaju ostvarivanje temeljnih prava LGBT osoba. Agencija Europske unije za temeljna prava (FRA) je pokrenula anketu na web stranici i prikupila usporedive podatke o diskriminaciji koje su LGBT osobe doživjele u državama članicama Europske unije. Rezultati ankete pokazuju da su LGBT osobe u današnjem društvu diskriminirane u školi, na poslu, u javnosti te zbog toga većinu života žive u izolaciji i skrivaju svoj identitet. Istospolnim parovima je dozvoljeno životno partnerstvo koje se sklapa pred nadležnim tijelom. Međutim, rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da je Republika Hrvatska na samom dnu ljestvice tolerancije prema LGBT populaciji te da je diskriminacija puno veća u Republici Hrvatskoj u odnosu na druge države članice Europske unije.Same-sex unions indicates emotional, physical and spiritual union of two people of the same sex. The attraction of the same sex in the past was considered an act of intimacy and love, but eventually lost popularity and same-sex unions are becoming socially condemned. In the Republic of Croatia, homosexuality was decriminalised in 1997. The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (2009) states that human dignity is inviolable and guarantees the right to non-discrimination regarding gender orientation and equality. Upon entering the European Union, the Republic of Croatia adapt certain regulations to meet the european standard. The Civil Partnership Law (2014) regulates the lifetime partnership of persons of the same sex. The Family Law remains on force and entirely discriminating by disabling equal rights to same-sex couples. A comparative analysis explored the position and rights protection of same-sex comunities in the European Union, with special emphasis on the Republic of Croatia. The goal of this research is to examine attitudes and assemble data which will help to find legal and political answers that could enable LGBT persons to exercise their rights. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has launched an online survey and collected comparable data of discrimination experienced by LGBT persons in the Member States of the Euopean Union. The results of the survey show that LGBT persons in todays society suffer discrimnation in school, at work, in public, and that is why they live most of their lifes in isolation and hide their identity. Same-sex couples have been allowed to enter a civil partnership under jurisdiction of supervising authorities, and it is based on principles of equality, respect and helping each other. However, the results of this research show that Croatia is at the very bottom of the scale of tolerance towards LGBT population and that discrimination is much higher in Croatia in comparisment to other Member States of the European Unio