ZAGREB, Nov 5 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Friday rejected accusations presented in the European Union Speaking Note regarding the upcoming elections and Croatia's cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the
former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague.
ZAGREB, Nov 5 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Friday rejected
accusations presented in the European Union Speaking Note
regarding the upcoming elections and Croatia's cooperation with
the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
(ICTY) in The Hague. #L#
Croatia's Deputy Foreign Minister Ivo Sanader today in Zagreb
handed Croatia's reply to the EU document to representatives of the
EU Troika - the ambassadors of Finland, Portugal and a
representative of the European Commission.
The Government "strongly rejects the allegations that Croatia
'runs a risk of holding elections which will not be free and fair
with all the resulting consequences'", reads the reply.
"The Croatian Government considers such qualifications, including
the allegations about 'political self-isolation' inappropriate
and unfounded. They cannot be a constructive contribution by EU on
the eve of the pre-election campaign and in a way they prejudice the
future developments and the very results of the elections".
Arguments on a free and fair elections are further presented in the
reply.
It is clear from the Election Law that "Croatia has made a series of
efforts to enable persons who have left Croatia, and whose Croatian
citizenship has been verified, to vote, so that those Croatian
citizens will have a chance to cast their votes at the Croatian
diplomatic missions and consular offices abroad or upon their
return to Croatia".
Also, "Croatia, like some other Member States of the Council of
Europe and OSCE, enables its citizens resident abroad to vote at the
elections...". "Such citizens will exercise their right to vote in
diplomatic and other missions of the Republic of Croatia abroad.
For technical reasons, that is a large number of voters and the size
of particular countries, the Government of the Republic of Croatia
will examine the possibility to enable voting even outside of the
diplomatic and consular missions, with the consent of the receiving
state".
Regarding the accusations that the voting of Croats in Bosnia-
Herzegovina contradicts the Dayton Accords, it is said in the reply
that the voting of Bosnian Croats "is not in contravention of the
Dayton Agreements, and there are no legal obstacles to Croatian
citizens resident in Bosnia-Herzegovina voting for the diaspora
list".
Also, the Election Law guarantees five representatives to the
autochtonous minorities in Croatia. "Furthermore, the Republic of
Croatia is one of the few European States which in its legislation
guarantees parliamentary representation to its minorities".
In accordance with the Election Law, all electoral bodies will be
composed of representatives of the ruling party and the Opposition.
Croatian and international organisations and NGOs will have the
possibility to monitor the elections, it is said in the reply.
"The Republic of Croatia has invited international organisations
(and particularly welcomes the involvement of the OSCE Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights) and parliamentary
delegations as monitors, like it did in all previous elections",
the reply reads.
The adopted Election Law also prescribes that the
amount of campaign costs and financial sources be made public.
"As to the Programme Rules for the Croatian Radio & Television (HRT)
in election coverage, we would like to point out that they are based
on principles of fairness, impartiality and balance, and that no
party, candidate or state official may have a privileged position
in the election procedure".
As regards the election date, it is "a working day in whole Europe
and we do not consider that there are any serious obstacles for
international monitoring on 22 December. Moreover, since it is
close to Christmas holidays, it will be easier for a large number of
voters to go to the polls; (as on these days, they will be visiting
Croatia), which will increase the total number of voters at the
polls".
The Government also rejects the accusation regarding the lack of
cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. It is estimated that the EU's
objection over 'a serious lack of cooperation by the Croatian side'
with the ICTY is not clear enough.
The reply further reads that the EU has failed to clarify what its
objection refers to, since Croatia has handed over all indicted who
were on Croatian territory.
If the objection refers to the jurisdiction over "Flash" and
"Storm" operations, Croatia "has reiterated that dispute
concerning military operations Storm and Flash is a legal dispute
between Croatia and the ICTY". Croatia has also expressed a wish for
the "dispute to be put within the legal framework".
"Note that the Republic of Croatia is one of the rare countries to
have promptly complied with the obligation to cooperate with
ICTY".
"The Republic of Croatia will continue to cooperate with ICTY,
taking care to responsibly fulfil its international commitments
and at the same time protect its national interests and security",
it is said in the reply.
(hina) rml
...