STRASBOURG, March 10 (Hina) - "It was a very good, useful and successful visit," Croatian Vice-Premier Ljerka Mintas-Hodak said in Strasbourg on Wednesday following three-day visits with senior officials of the Council of Europe. "I
am exceptionally pleased that the cooperation with the Council of Europe is not concentrated just at the level of identifying omissions on our part and criticism. The talks also showed that they truly understand our situation and the objective difficulties we are facing," Mintas-Hodak said. She stressed Council of Europe officials had expressed readiness to provide assistance to find the best solutions, without imposing them. With the visit to the Council of Europe and the report of the Council's Monitoring Committee, adopted on Wednesday, Croatia has "now rounded off its relations" with this European organisation, Mintas-Hodak stressed. "We agreed to complete certain issues, which we have com
STRASBOURG, March 10 (Hina) - "It was a very good, useful and
successful visit," Croatian Vice-Premier Ljerka Mintas-Hodak said
in Strasbourg on Wednesday following three-day visits with senior
officials of the Council of Europe.
"I am exceptionally pleased that the cooperation with the Council
of Europe is not concentrated just at the level of identifying
omissions on our part and criticism. The talks also showed that they
truly understand our situation and the objective difficulties we
are facing," Mintas-Hodak said.
She stressed Council of Europe officials had expressed readiness to
provide assistance to find the best solutions, without imposing
them.
With the visit to the Council of Europe and the report of the
Council's Monitoring Committee, adopted on Wednesday, Croatia has
"now rounded off its relations" with this European organisation,
Mintas-Hodak stressed.
"We agreed to complete certain issues, which we have committed
ourselves in the report to do by June and October," she said.
The talks in Strasbourg also focused on adopting some other Council
of Europe conventions, such as the one on the prevention of
corruption and control mechanisms, social programmes which would
be financed through the Council of Europe's development fund, and
other issues.
Mintas-Hodak said she had held talks with the Council of Europe's
Venetian Commission representatives. The two sides agreed to
intensify cooperation regarding amendments to the Croatian
Constitutional Law on human rights and minorities.
Council of Europe experts should get better acquainted with the
situation and legal system in Croatia, in order to draft
recommendations and analyses, the two sides agreed.
Cooperation through expert teams was also agreed on in analysing
Croatian legislature, drafting economic bases for changes in
regulations, and the reorganisation and financing of local
government and self-government.
(hina) lml