MATESA RECEIVES EU DELEGATION - PRESS RELEASE

ZAGREB, Oct 27 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa on Wednesday received a European Union delegation headed by Finnish State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Jukk Valtassari. Finland is currently chairing the EU Council of Ministers, the Croatian Government's Public and Media Relations Office reported. The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Ministers Mate Granic and Ljerka Mintas-Hodak. On behalf of the EU, Valtassari verbally lodged the EU's objections to Premier Matesa regarding the process of the adoption of electoral legislation as well as Croatia's level of cooperation with the International War Criminal Tribunal committed in the region of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the statement said. Referring to dialogue conducted to date with the Croatian Government, the EU expressed concern regarding voting rights for refugees; the rate of attaining Croatian citizenship; method of voting for the Diaspora list; representation of minorities in the Croatian National Sabor in an indiscriminatory manner; monitoring of the elections; transparent financing of election campaigns and the odd date for the elections. The EU representatives also expressed concern for the lack of cooperation on behalf of Croatia with the International Criminal Tribunal, the statement said. Valtasaari emphasised that the object of the message was well intentional in an attempt to help speed up the process of Croatia's nearing the EU within the process of stabilisation and access but at the same time the fulfilment of conditions set for the Republic of Croatia. In case of a negative outcome, the EU would once again review all forms of cooperation with the Republic of Croatia, the statement continued. Premier Matesa informed the EU delegation of the efforts undertaken by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) for a consensus to be reached over electoral legislation and that such consensus had virtually been achieved but not realised in the Sabor. The reason behind this being that agreement had not been reached on other issues, particularly the role of the Croatian Radio and Television. Speaking about the electoral legislation, the Premier stressed that all Croat citizens had the constitutional right to vote which also related to Serb nationals with Croatian citizenship regardless of where they may be. Naturally, this assumes that the country they are currently residing in will allow them to vote. As far as voting for citizens not currently resident in Croatia, this too refers to a constitutionally guaranteed right and at the same time pays tribute to the significance Croatia gives to its immigrants and their role in the establishment of the Croatian state and as such, should be given the opportunity to realise their constitutional right. Keeping in mind, suggestions be the international community, Croatia will change the method of election of representatives by introducing a non-fixed quota, though it is unclear what changes and what in fact the international community is requesting, the statement said. With regard to minority representation, the Premier informed the EU delegation that in addition to Rumania and Slovenia, Croatia is the third country in Europe which bother to protect the right of minorities guaranteeing them the right to a special electoral body. Croatia should be given recognition for this fact and not be criticised. Based on earlier talks with representatives of the international community, Croatia included a system of monitoring in its electoral legislation whereby monitoring can be conducted by a multi-party commission, non-government organisations as well as other international parliamentary bodies and organisations. The aim of which is for monitoring of elections to be transparent and in keeping with international standards, the statement said. As far as cooperation with the ICTY in The Hague is concerned, Matesa handed the delegation a document reporting on the Croatia's cooperation with the ICTY which clearly shows Croatia's complete cooperation with the Tribunal. Matesa also expressed the Croatian Government's and public in general's dissatisfaction with the procedure of crimes committed against Croats. Prime Minister Matesa underlined that the Croatian Government would do everything to ensure the credibility and transparency of elections the only aim of which is that the elections be free and fair of which the international community and its monitors will be able to convince themselves of. Accepting the objections voiced by the delegation and the significance placed upon this procedure by the European Union, the Premier obliged himself to inform the President of the Republic, the Croatian National Sabor and the Government accordingly, and in turn to inform the EU of the Government's stance on the matter. Premier Matesa further underlined the significance of relations between the Republic of Croatia and the EU as well as the significance of these relations towards Croatia's foreign policy strategies. At the same time however, he expressed regret that Croatia was not part of the PHARE programme as well as of the fact that negotiations which were completed back in 1995 on a trade agreement have still not been concluded, the Government's Public and Media Relations Office statement concluded. (hina) sp