ROUND-TABLE DEBATE ON ETHNIC MINORITIES' RIGHTS HELD

ZAGREB, Nov 11 (Hina) - Despite the shortcomings, Croatia's constitutional law on ethnic minorities' rights is the first document that is not discriminatory or disparaging against them, participants in a round-table debate on the implementation of said law held in light of forthcoming elections said on Tuesday. #L# Introductory speeches were made by Zarko Puhovski, president of the Croatian Helsinki Committee on Human Rights, and Sinisa Tatalovic, professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences and member of the Council for Ethnic Minorities. Participating in the debate were also minority MPs and representatives of competent government bodies. Puhovski and Tatalovic were agreed the biggest problem is the lack of proportional representation in local authorities, which they said was much more important than representation in parliament. Tatalovic said that alongside the general right to vote, ethnic minorities should simultaneously be allowed to vote for minority slates. The abolishment of said privilege will result in minority MPs having less legitimacy given that they will have been elected with considerably fewer votes than if minorities were allowed double voting rights, he said. Puhovski said he had information that the Croatian Foreign Ministry had not asked of Serbia-Montenegro to increase the number of polling stations. Croats there will be able to cast their ballots at only five locations. That will significantly reduce the rights of Croats who have been living in the neighbouring country since the early 1990s war, he said, adding that in Bosnia-Herzegovina there would be more than 30 locations for Croats to vote. The round-table debate, which was organised by the Centre for Human Rights, also addressed problems in the formation of local ethnic minorities' councils. Less than 50 percent have been established throughout the country, it was said. (hina) ha sb