ZAGREB, Feb 24 (Hina) - The head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission in Croatia, Peter Semneby, addressed a session of the Croatian Parliament's Foreign Policy Committee on Tuesday, presenting the
priorities of his mission and its views of the situation in the country.
ZAGREB, Feb 24 (Hina) - The head of the Organisation for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission in Croatia, Peter Semneby,
addressed a session of the Croatian Parliament's Foreign Policy
Committee on Tuesday, presenting the priorities of his mission and its
views of the situation in the country.#L#
Semneby said that despite noticeable positive moves in some areas
there were still problems with the return of refugees, their
accommodation and creation of a positive atmosphere in areas where
refugees were returning.
Semneby said that it was necessary to take further steps with regard
to judicial reform, human and minority rights, and the media.
The OSCE mission chief said that the Croatian judiciary had problems
in trying those indicted for war crimes, stressing that the ethnic
background of the accused played a part in all stages of proceedings.
In such trials, Croatian citizens of Serb ethnicity are being
discriminated against, he added.
Semneby said that the large number of lawsuits filed by Croatian
citizens against the state with the European Court of Human Rights in
Strasbourg was worrying.
At the end of his speech, Semneby expressed optimism that there was
good momentum for solving all these issues.
On the day Croatia receives a positive avis (opinion of the European
Commission on application for full membership of the EU), I hope it
will be soon, it does not mean that those issues will be solved. They
will continue to be a challenge to the future, he said.
Semneby said that Croatia should be a bridge of cooperation between
Southeast Europe and the European Union.
(Hina) vm sb