ZAGREB, April 17 (Hina) - The third meeting of groups of experts on minorities from Croatia and Serbia-Montenegro is a step further in advancing the position of the Croatian and Serbian minorities in those two countries, it was said
on Thursday, while the text of a bilateral agreement on the protection of minorities could be initialled before the summer.
ZAGREB, April 17 (Hina) - The third meeting of groups of experts on
minorities from Croatia and Serbia-Montenegro is a step further in
advancing the position of the Croatian and Serbian minorities in
those two countries, it was said on Thursday, while the text of a
bilateral agreement on the protection of minorities could be
initialled before the summer. #L#
According to the heads of the delegations -- Assistant Croatian
Foreign Minister Nenad Prelog and Serbia-Montenegro's Assistant
Minister for Human and Minority Rights Jelena Markovic -- most of
the agreement was harmonised at today's meeting in Zagreb, with
only a few minor points to be finalised before the summer.
Responding to questions by reporters concerning the points Croatia
will insist upon, Prelog said Croatia's stance was the same as that
of the Croatian community in Serbia-Montenegro. It is necessary to
participate in government structures at the local, regional and
state level, he said.
Prelog also said the clause on participating in government
structures at all levels was incorporated in the agreement. He
added that details in this regard were resolved through election
legislation. He said the issue of minorities' participation in
government in Croatia had been regulated through constitutional
legislation, and that it was now up to Serbia-Montenegro to do the
same.
According to Prelog, there are some contentious matters as to
whether the agreement will regulate concrete questions such as
citizenship and the visa regime, or if these issues will be resolved
through relevant legislation.
Markovic pointed out that the signing of the agreement should be a
priority for the foreign policies of both countries.
She said that Serbia-Montenegro had a law on minority rights, a
Constitutional Charter on Human and Minority Rights, as well as a
national council for the Croatian minority.
Markovic pointed out that both national minorities, which were
consulted prior to the meeting, stressed the need for normalising
mutual relations in order to improve the status of both minorities.
This is a positive process, and the main problems that torment
minorities are refugee returns, property returns, as well as proper
representation in government structures, she said.
Initial talks on the protection and rights of minorities began a
year and a half ago. Talks were delayed for a while to allow for the
constitutional law on national minorities to be adopted in
Croatia.
(hina) sp ha