ZAGREB, June 17 (Hina) - Croatia's national council in charge of marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Council of Europe (CoE) on Thursday held a special session in Zagreb. Addressing those in attendance, Croatian parliament
president Vlatko Pavletic said the CoE had, since its very beginning, set a direction, namely to secure human and other rights. Established after the horrors of World War Two with the intention and aim to secure and "cement" the hard-won peace, the CoE is primarily dedicated to problems related to ensuring the safety of citizens, and not states, Pavletic said. To that end, he added, the European Court for Human Rights has been established recently. Croatia has so far ratified 44 conventions and seven CoE documents, Pavletic said, adding he hoped in the next decade, Croatia would achieve its ultimate goal, access to the European Union. Between the autumn of 19
ZAGREB, June 17 (Hina) - Croatia's national council in charge of
marking the fiftieth anniversary of the Council of Europe (CoE) on
Thursday held a special session in Zagreb.
Addressing those in attendance, Croatian parliament president
Vlatko Pavletic said the CoE had, since its very beginning, set a
direction, namely to secure human and other rights.
Established after the horrors of World War Two with the intention
and aim to secure and "cement" the hard-won peace, the CoE is
primarily dedicated to problems related to ensuring the safety of
citizens, and not states, Pavletic said.
To that end, he added, the European Court for Human Rights has been
established recently.
Croatia has so far ratified 44 conventions and seven CoE documents,
Pavletic said, adding he hoped in the next decade, Croatia would
achieve its ultimate goal, access to the European Union.
Between the autumn of 1991 and November 6, 1996 when it was admitted
to the CoE, Croatia went through a long process of having to defend
its European identity, said Zarko Domljan, parliament vice
president and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Minister for European Integration Ljerka Mintas-Hodak reminded
Croatia had signed a series of CoE conventions and now had to follow
their enforcement in Croatia's legislation.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ivo Sanader said Croatia had ceased being a
political object and become a subject with its membership in the
CoE, the oldest European organisation. Reminding of CoE's active
role in the recently reached stability pact for south-eastern
Europe, he said Croatia's present position was much better than in
1996 when it was admitted to the CoE.
At today's session, addresses were also made by the former head of
Croatia's delegation at the CoE Parliamentary Assembly, Hrvoje
Kacic, and the present head, Nikola Obuljen.
(hina) ha