The legal framework for the rights of national minorities is quite good, so the focus should be put on its application, the conference, organised by non-governmental organisations for human rights, concluded.
Among those attending were representatives of the Central Government Office for Administration, the Government Office for Human Rights, relevant ministries and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Mission in Croatia.
Minority organisations said that further steps should be taken to reinforce the personnel and technical capacities of national minority councils and to improve their cooperation with local authorities.
Goran Loje of the Government Office for Administration said that plans were being modified to ensure minority representation in state administration bodies.
OSCE Mission deputy head Robert Becker said that the national minorities in Croatia were guaranteed their rights under the law and that they themselves should insist that their rights were respected. He said he believed priority should be given to the employment of national minorities.