Several thousand people gathered in central Zagreb on Saturday for the 7th Walk for Life, demanding legal protection of unborn children and their families and protection of the right to conscientious objection.

Demonstrators marched through the city centre carrying banners saying “Let’s protect the most vulnerable minority in Croatia,” “Every human being has the right to live” and “I’ve noticed that all abortion advocates are already born.”

Organisers said that the existing law on pregnancy termination was adopted in 1978 and should be changed to protect unborn children and their families.

“There are members of Parliament who advocate that it should be allowed to put unborn children to death. That’s why we think the law needs to be changed and a legal framework established based on science that says that life begins at conception,” said Zeljka Markic, the head of the In the Name of Family NGO.

She said that society should treat all sick persons in the same way, both those born and those unborn and that every mother should be entitled to psychological assistance and economic support when her child is diagnosed with a serious disease.

“The care of an unborn child requires its mother’s love and the support of the family, local community and the entire society,” said Andreja Duvančić, a member of the Walk for Life organising committee.

Luka Holjevac, a member of the organising committee, said: “This year, too, we give our support to all doctors, nurses and pharmacists who invoke conscientious objection. In that way, they do their job and take care of both patients – the mother and child.”

This year’s Walk for Life takes place in 11 cities across the country. It already took place in Varazdin, Vinkovci and Slavonski Brod, and on the next two Saturdays in May and the first two Saturdays in June it will be held in Split, Imotski, Zadar, Ploče, Sisak, Osijek and Rijeka.