BELGRADE, March 21 (Hina) - During their visit to Belgrade, representatives of Croatian Serb political parties on Wednesday called on Croatian citizens in Yugoslavia and the Bosnian Serb entity (the Republic of Srpska) to respond to
the forthcoming census in as great number as possible. Croatia is planning to carry out a census from 1 to 15 April, and until 31 March for its citizens in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Bosnian Serb entity. Insisting on the high turnout, the head of the Serb Democratic Forum (SDF), Veljko Dzakula, his deputy in Belgrade, Dusan Ecimovic, and the Serb Independent Democratic Party (SDSS) leader Vojislav Stanimirovic, asserted that the citizenship certificate ("Domovnica") would be sufficient as the basic document for the census. At a news conference they held in the Yugoslav capital on Wednesday, Dzakula, Ecimovic and Stanimirovic claimed that all elemen
BELGRADE, March 21 (Hina) - During their visit to Belgrade,
representatives of Croatian Serb political parties on Wednesday
called on Croatian citizens in Yugoslavia and the Bosnian Serb
entity (the Republic of Srpska) to respond to the forthcoming
census in as great number as possible.
Croatia is planning to carry out a census from 1 to 15 April, and
until 31 March for its citizens in the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia and the Bosnian Serb entity.
Insisting on the high turnout, the head of the Serb Democratic Forum
(SDF), Veljko Dzakula, his deputy in Belgrade, Dusan Ecimovic, and
the Serb Independent Democratic Party (SDSS) leader Vojislav
Stanimirovic, asserted that the citizenship certificate
("Domovnica") would be sufficient as the basic document for the
census.
At a news conference they held in the Yugoslav capital on Wednesday,
Dzakula, Ecimovic and Stanimirovic claimed that all elements of the
conduct of this census had previously been agreed with Croatia's
Foreign Ministry and embassy and consulate in Belgrade and
consulate in Banja Luka (Bosnia-Herzegovina).
They emphasised that "the turnout at a massive scale" was necessary
for making it possible for a larger number of Croatian Serbs to take
part in Croatia's executive and legislative authorities as well as
at lower levels of authority.
In this context they spoke of a draft act which should be adopted by
the Sabor (Croatian parliament) enabling national minorities to
have the right to the proportional representation in the structures
of authorities if they account for over six (&) percent of the
entire population.
They urged also Serb refugees in Yugoslavia who had no intention of
returning to Croatia to respond to the census, nevertheless.
The Serb politicians said the Croatian authorities provided them
with 50,000 census papers (the so-called auxiliary papers for the
census), and more papers would be forwarded if necessary.
They stressed the data would be used only for statistical purpose.
Asked by a reporter how it would be possible to use only the
citizenship certificate (Domovnica) as the basic document of a
respondents and not the identity card which shows the permanent
place of residence, the politicians did not give any direct answer
but added that such circumstances were and that many refugees
possessed old (former) identity cards and that's why they could
also be covered by the census.
Croatia's consulates in Yugoslavia have recently announced the
information in the media calling on Croatian citizens in that
country to respond to the census, but they have clearly stated that
it refers to Croatian citizens temporarily staying in Yugoslavia
with the permanent place of residence in Croatia.
(hina) ms