UN RAPPORTEUR SAYS CENSUS SHOULD INCLUDE CROATS LIVING ABROAD

ZAGREB, March 1 (Hina) - Croatia should ensure the possibility that its citizens living abroad can participate in the census, UN's special rapporteur on human rights Jiri Dienstbier said in Zagreb on Thursday. "They can officially, but conditions must be made to enable them to participate," he told reporters. Dienstbier said it was necessary to ensure the equal application of laws for everyone, regardless of name or nationality. His evaluation is that the chief tension in Croatia presently is the one between good intentions on the government's part and the enforcement of laws on the local level. The rapporteur said a strange, post-war atmosphere could still be felt in some areas, and conceded that people might be afraid to state their status as national minorities. According to Dienstbier, the chief unresolved issues in connection with the respect of human rights are refugee returns, the restitution of property and the criminal prosecution of war criminals. He did say, however, that significant progress had been made over the last year and that he was happy things were going in the right direction. Croatia will conduct a census between April 1 and 15. It has begun today for Croatian citizens working abroad. (hina) ha