ZAGREB ZAGREB, April 5 (Hina) - Despite the number of representatives of minorities in public life, Croatia still has not initiated an active pro-minority policy, president of the Serb People's Council, Milorad Pupovac, said Thursday
at the opening of a two-day conference on the position of minorities in Croatia. Pupovac asserted that the ignoring of national minorities has been continued with the new government authority which, he said, obviously does not consider the problems of minorities a current state priority. Assessing Croatia lacked essential democratic dialogue, Croatian Parliament deputy speaker Zdravko Tomac said most minority problems in Croatia originated from the disbanding of the former Yugoslavia. "The Serb people must accept the fact that following the separation of Yugoslavia, it has become a national minority in Croatia, as Croats are in Yugoslavia," Tomac said. However, at the same time, b
ZAGREB, April 5 (Hina) - Despite the number of representatives of
minorities in public life, Croatia still has not initiated an
active pro-minority policy, president of the Serb People's
Council, Milorad Pupovac, said Thursday at the opening of a two-day
conference on the position of minorities in Croatia.
Pupovac asserted that the ignoring of national minorities has been
continued with the new government authority which, he said,
obviously does not consider the problems of minorities a current
state priority.
Assessing Croatia lacked essential democratic dialogue, Croatian
Parliament deputy speaker Zdravko Tomac said most minority
problems in Croatia originated from the disbanding of the former
Yugoslavia.
"The Serb people must accept the fact that following the separation
of Yugoslavia, it has become a national minority in Croatia, as
Croats are in Yugoslavia," Tomac said.
However, at the same time, both peoples in Bosnia-Herzegovina must
accept an integral Bosnia-Herzegovina as their own country in
which, along with Bosniaks, they are constitutive peoples, equal as
citizens.
Tomac asserted one must oppose "globalists" who deem that ethnicity
is only folklore and culture, because the EU is also going to be a
country of peoples, not exclusively citizens.
The crucial issue is the return of refugees to their homes, Tomac
said, stressing the Croatian government is against any policy of
ethnically cleansed states.
President of the "Friedrich Naumann" foundation from Germany,
Lambsdorf, stressed the improvement of the status of national
communities in any state contributes to the development of
democratic relations, but also a better position of the country in
the international community.
This is why Croatia must create space for the integration of
minorities in all segments of public and political life, primarily
through a proportional representation in government authority, and
a guaranteed alliance right, he said.
OSCE High Commissioner for national minorities, Max van der Stoel,
said the protection of minorities is a priority of the present-day
Europe, as well as one of the basic criteria for accepting new
members into the EU.
The conference, entitled "Challenges of Minority Policy in Croatia
Today", organised by the Serb People's Council, the German
foundation and the Croatian Legal Centre, gathered representatives
of minorities, non-government organisations, representatives of
the Croatian Parliament and government, international
organisations, religious communities and embassies.
(hina) lml sb