There were 2,426 domestic violence offences in the January-March 2004 period, and in more than 66 percent of cases women were the victims, said Kosor.
To stop such trends, the national strategy brings short-term measures envisaging the urgent processing of all court cases referring to domestic violence, the establishment of family courts and new shelters for battered women and children. One of the long-term measures envisages the establishment of family counselling centres across the country.
Also today, the Government formulated a national programme for the protection and promotion of human rights until 2008, and a national programme for association with the European Union in 2005.
Speaking of the latter document, European Integration Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said 35 new laws, 151 bylaws and 135 measures were expected to be adopted next year.
The Government also formulated a framework decentralisation programme for the 2004-07 period.