OSCE Mission condemns discrimination against Vukovar boy

ZAGREB, 3 July 2003 - The OSCE Mission to Croatia today joined senior Croatian officials in condemning a discriminatory decision barring a Croatian Serb boy in Vukovar from playing at a football tournament on the basis of his ethnic origins.

The decision to bar the 14-year-old boy was made by the tournament's organizing committee with the support of some local war veteran associations.

The Spokesman of the OSCE Mission to Croatia, Alessandro Fracassetti, said the episode was unacceptable and went against reconciliation efforts and inter-ethnic tolerance.

"Discrimination in all forms is unacceptable in an open, multi-ethnic society; children above all should be protected from these type of incidents," Mr. Fracassetti said.

He added that the incident highlighted the need for "full enforcement of the Constitutional Law on National Minorities (Art. 2), specifically prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property and birth or other status."

He noted that anti-discrimination provisions were also enshrined in the Croatian Constitution and that, only last February, Croatia ratified an anti-discrimination Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights.

The President and the Prime Minister of Croatia as well as the President of the Croatian Football Association and some other war veteran associations have also condemned the episode.