Opposition female members of the Croatian parliament, gathered as part of an informal initiative to increase support for victims of sexual violence, on Thursday called on all courts in the country to give priority to cases of physical and sexual violence against women and children.

Dalija Oreskovic of the Centre party warned of the slowness and inefficiency of the judiciary in protecting children’s rights, saying that a country is governed by the rule of law in so far as it provides legal protection to those who need it.

“We have received a large number of complaints about the work of the judiciary in cases of domestic violence, which are often not adequately recognised in divorce and other situations,” Oreskovic said. She warned that the judiciary was too slow in such situations where “every day can be fatal or critical for someone.”

Oreskovic called on all judicial workers not to wait for any major judicial reform but to show greater sensibility for such cases and give them priority.