"CROATIA AND HUMAN RIGHTS" ROUND-TABLE TAKES PLACE IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, May 5 (Hina) - A round-table conference entitled "Croatia and Human Rights" took place in Zagreb on Wednesday on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Council of Europe. Croatian Minister for European Integrations Ljerka Mintas Hodak stressed the equality of all people and the protection of their freedoms and rights in Europe was an unavoidable issue reflecting the degree of democracy in the society. In this sense, the Croatian Government, despite the many years of negative legacies and aggression on Croatia, must undertake all measures in the promotion of human rights, especially with regards to the protection of economic and social rights of citizens and increasing the effectiveness of the legal system. "In this atmosphere the Government must pay more attention to criticism from the people and international mechanisms to ensure the level of human rights which are the standard of life in Europe," she stressed. President of the Croatian Movement for Democracy and Social Justice, Ivan Supek, stressed the necessity for the Declaration on Human Rights to become a part of the international law. Speaking about the freedom of the media in Croatia, a member of the central committee of the European Movement Croatia, Mirko Galic, said human rights were dependant on the media. He said Croatia, in the new geo-political circumstances, was becoming an important factor in Europe and its accession into western associations depended on the liberation of its media of authorities and politics. President of the Serb People's Council Milorad Pupovac estimated there could be no guaranteed human rights without the guaranteed national minorities and vice-versa, and on with the combination of both systems and the necessity of its stabilisation. "Minority communities cannot resolve their rights by themselves, but must lead an open policy towards society, especially civil institutions," Pupovac said. (hina) lml