Croatia: Covid-19 and the Eighth Commandment – Thou Shall Not Bear False Witness…

Croatia’s Permanent Council of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference on 12 November 2021 sent a public message entitled “Is the vaccine against Covid-19 morally acceptable ?!”, which we are transmitting in its entirety.

One may assume that this public message is associated with the fact that the situation in Croatia with new Covid-19 infections has become an alarming concern with more that 7,000 new cases recorded daily and the hospital system bursting at the seams. Furthermore, given that new cases are mainly recorded through Covid-19 testing and testing numbers are relatively small one may assume that the real situation on the ground is much worse and numbers of new cases much higher than those reported. Vaccination rate in Croatia is relatively low (around 50%) and death numbers with Covid-19 rising. Also, there is a strong presence in Croatia of those who oppose vaccination and measures put in place under Public Health Orders and protests are rather frequent but also are publications of blatant lies, disinformation, and misinformation. So, while citizens have every right to protest against vaccines and restrictive measures put in place in attempts to slow down the spread of Covid-19 virus infections they have absolutely no right to spread lies.

For example, on 8 November 2021 a lady with the background of having a Masters degree in medical biology, Josipa Juricev-Sudac, appeared on the Bujica Z1 Television program where she stated the following: “So in Sydney, 25,000 children were brought to one stadium without parents, vaccinated, so the doctors vaccinated those children, five children died on the spot, three children were taken to the hospital in a coma, and later the consequences and injuries of children and how many children after that died so no objective information can be obtained, mostly suicides of only children have increased in a large percentage. in Australia the mental state of children is catastrophic, parents do not know what to do at all, mostly what happened in Australia is obviously an intention all over the world and that is why the age limit is lowering lower and lower…“ Of course, we alerted from Australia, Sydney, the television show that these are utter and complete lies about Sydney’s High School pupils vaccination and that the program should publish the sources used for the lies published so everyone can check the source’s credibility. We received no reaction within the three days after the complaint and had no alternative but to publish an article in the Croatian language, alerting the public that terrible lies were told about Sydney.

 Here is the truth about the vaccination of 25,000 or 24,000 “children” at the stadium in Sydney, which is falsely told by Ms. Juricev-Sudac: August 9, 2021, students (last year of high school) arrive for vaccination at the stadium Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia, which is converted to the vaccination centre against COVID-19. In the two weeks from that date, approximately 24,000 Year-12 students from eight local government areas of concern during the pandemic in Sydney received the first dose of Pfizer vaccine, in an effort to create a safe environment for students to take the Face-to-Face Final Examinations. The age of these students ranged from 17.5 to 18.2, and most were brought there by parents, and many parents, we are informed, fearing that the Pfizer vaccine supplies would disappear, tried to arrange an appointment for their children to be vaccinated sooner than planned.

Five children did not die at that stadium after the vaccination, as Ms. Juricev-Sudac claims, not a single child died. No child fell into a coma after the vaccination, as Ms. Juricev-Sudac claims. Child suicide has not significantly increased in Australia as claimed by Ms Juricev-Sudac and mental health status of Australian children is not catastrophic as Ms Jurcev-Sudac claimed.

All in all, Ms Juricev-Sudac has been referred to as a known activist against Covid-19 vaccination and Public Health Measures in Croatia but that does not give her or anyone the right to tell lies as she did regarding Sydney and the television host Velimir Bujanec did not stop her nor did he ask her publicly to reveal the sources of her claims. Unforgivable!  

So we come to the message that on 12 November 2021 was sent by the Council of Croatian Bishops’ Conference and appropriately so because even the 8^th of the Ten Commandments (of God) tells us “Thou shall not bear false witness”.  In other words, nobody is denying those who are against Covid vaccination to express their view and exercise the rights they believe they have but they have no right in passing on blatant lies, fabrications and misinformation in attempts to make their views ‘more justified’. The Croatian Bishops’ Conference message is:

“Although there has been talk of the Covid-19 vaccine on several occasions, it seems advisable to say a few things repeatedly. Primarily aware of the dangers posed by the Covid 19 pandemic, as well as the current state of society, we encourage believers and people of good will to reflect and constructively cooperate in the current circumstances for the common good of individuals and society. With this short Statement in the spirit of Jesus’ command to ‘be the salt of the earth and the light of the world,’ we want to provide the light of the Gospel in this challenging social moment.

1. When the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on December 21, 2020, published a note on the use of certain vaccines against Covid-19, it indicated that it was ‘morally acceptable to receive vaccines against Covid-19’ (No. 2). In addition, it encouraged ‘the production, approval, distribution and offering of ethically acceptable vaccines that do not create a conflict of conscience, among health professionals and among those who will be vaccinated.’ (No. 4). Vaccination, therefore, remains a means of preventing and suppressing the transmission of an infectious agent, but on the instructions of the Congregation, it ‘must be voluntary’ (No. 5).

2. In recent days, an atmosphere of certain pressures has been created on persons who have manifested the problem of their own conscience. By thematizing the loss of jobs and social status due to the fact that some did not get vaccinated, it additionally burdened and shook the trust and the social climate. Bearing in mind that the basis of social order is respect for man and his dignity, we consider it necessary to take into account the arguments and reasons of individuals who, for justified reasons, exclude the possibility of vaccination. In this context, all measures and decisions to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection should be without coercion and conditionality, as pointed out by the Congregation, in particular with regard to the right to work, services and participation in social life. The use of non-invasive methods and other forms of testing is also recommended.

3. Having before us man and his dignity, we encourage believers and citizens, employees of social events, holders of responsible services in society, as well as employees of the media to give their personal contribution to creating a healthy interpersonal climate. In preventing coronavirus infection, they should pay attention to human dignity and human rights so as not to create discrimination in society. Particular attention should be paid to the elderly and the poor, and they should be provided with health and other care to feel protected and ‘at home‘ “.

While Pope Francis and bishops across North and South America, Poland, have called on believers to get vaccinated against the coronavirus the Croatian Bishops’ Conference (HBK) is mostly silent on vaccination when it is not sending ambiguous statements, as the one above which they rest upon an “Atmosphere of certain pressures”. Nevertheless, it is possible to conclude that the Croatian Council of Bishops’ Conference is against forced vaccination and invasive Covid testing. The bishops said in summary also that we must prevent the spread of infection and discrimination. We watch and wait and are vigilant to see how all this will be achieved during this war-like state between those that wish to be vaccinated and those that do not. It is a pity that the Bishops’ Conference omitted to send messages regarding false information sent around communities about Covid-19 and which creates alarming fear in people. God bless us all and may He shine a light upon a solution that will bring peace and chase us the lies that so miserably breach His 8^th Commandment. Ina Vukic