The presidential candidate of the Workers' Front and Socialist Workers' Party, Katarina Peovic, on Wednesday called for termination of the Vatican agreements saying that they are in gross violation of Croatia's secularity.

She said that over HRK 1 billion (€135 million) was allocated from the budget to the Catholic Church annually, while the government was claiming there was no money to increase nurses’ wages.

“That amount is much higher than HRK 1 billion because there are also non-transparent allocations by local government. For example, Mayor Milan Bandic has set aside HRK 500,000 (€67,500) from the City of Zagreb budget to move a cross a few metres away at the Hipodrom (horse racing venue),” Peovic told a press conference outside the Croatian Bishops’ Conference building.

Peovic said that the Vatican agreements had been signed without public consultation, which is against basic democratic standards. She said that terminating these agreements would not be easy, but that Croatia should start running a sovereign and autonomous policy for the benefit of the state, the national economy and the people.

“The actual amounts being allocated to the Church can only be speculated about because the Church does not submit any financial reports,” Peovic said.