ZAGREB, June 5 (Hina) - Over the last five years Croatia has made significant progress in many areas, but it faces major tasks in other areas, which is why a strong presence of the OSCE Mission on the ground is still necessary, says a
report on Croatia's progress in the fulfilment of international obligations OSCE Mission head Bernard Poncet presented in Zagreb on Tuesday.
ZAGREB, June 5 (Hina) - Over the last five years Croatia has made
significant progress in many areas, but it faces major tasks in
other areas, which is why a strong presence of the OSCE Mission on
the ground is still necessary, says a report on Croatia's progress
in the fulfilment of international obligations OSCE Mission head
Bernard Poncet presented in Zagreb on Tuesday. #L#
Addressing a news conference ahead of the presentation of the
report before the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday,
Poncet reminded that the report on the Mission's five-year
activities had been compiled at the request of the Croatian
government.
After it considered the possibility of the OSCE reducing the
mandate of its Croatia mission with the aim of its discontinuation
in December last year, the Croatian government requested that a
report be compiled by June 30, 2001 focusing on achievements made
from 1996 onwards and on how big the OSCE mission in Croatia should
be in order to monitor the fulfilment of the country's remaining
obligations.
The report shows that from 1996 onwards, significant progress has
been made in three areas - free and fair elections, reforms of the
police force and the peaceful reintegration of the Danube River
region, says Poncet.
Compared to the situation of five years ago, today's atmosphere in
Croatia is much more open and democratic and the freedom of the
media has been significantly improved, the Mission estimates.
The part of the report which refers to the areas in which Croatia has
still not entirely fulfilled its obligations is envisaged as a set
of instructions which could help the government define its future
priorities and goals more clearly, says Poncet.
This part of the report brings no new information; the major
problem, according to the OSCE, is still the return of Serb
refugees. According to OSCE data, the past five years saw the return
of 80,000 out of 300,000 Croatian Serb refugees, and those who have
returned are facing problems with property restitution, tenancy
rights, the reconstruction of their houses and the convalidation of
documents.
Since the Croatian government has voiced support for unconditional
returns of all refugees and displaced persons who wish to return,
the OSCE Mission expects it to take concrete administrative and
legal measures which would enable returns and be in line with
international standards.
According to the report, the Croatian government should ensure, by
means of disciplinary measures included, the implementation of its
policy and laws on all levels of authority, and continue reforms
which started in 1997 with the aim of adjusting the country's
legislation to the European Convention on Human Rights.
Another problem is the poor performance of the judicial system, the
insufficient number and lack of proper training of judges.
Poncet believed a strong presence of monitors is still required on
the ground and added the mandate and duration of the OSCE Mission
was decided by the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna.
(hina) sb rml