CROATIA BEGINS ADJUSTING LAWS TO EUROPEAN HUMAN RIGHTS CONVENTION

ZAGREB, Oct 8 (Hina) - The Croatian Government's task group which examines whether the Croatian legislation is in line with regulations of the European Convention on Human Rights on Tuesday convened in Zagreb for its first meeting. The task group, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Ljerka Mintas-Hodak, determined the work programme and within 90 days it will inform the Croatian Government and the Council of Europe about the results. Mintas-Hodak recalled that the Government had established a task group prior to Croatia's expected admission into the Council of Europe, since after the admission, Croatia would undertake many legal obligations, including the obligation to ratify within a year the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Basic Freedoms and the Convention's protocols. Speaking on the consequences of adopting the European Convention, Mintas-Hodak explained that all persons who consider that their rights stipulated by the Convention and its protocols had been violated will be able to contact the European Court for Human Rights. The task group includes representatives of the judiciary and executive authority, as well as legal experts. (hina) ha jn 081802 MET oct 96