OSCE Croatia Mission welcomes election law changes, urges prompt application of minority law

ZAGREB, 3 April 2003 - Ambassador Peter Semneby, Head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia, has welcomed yesterday's adoption of changes to Croatia's election law by Parliament, providing national minorities in the country with fairer representation.

At the same time, he called for the prompt application of other parts of the country's minority law.

"The adoption of changes to the Law on Election of Representatives in the National Parliament and the appointment of five members to the new national-level Council of National Minorities are positive steps in the application of the Constitutional Law on National Minorities," Ambassador Semneby said.

The new law provides for increased representation of Serb and other minorities which previously were not represented in Parliament, including the Albanian and the Roma minority.

Ambassador Semneby also urged the Croatian authorities to take more determined action to apply other parts of its new minority law.

Additional minority representatives should have been seated in five counties, and 83 towns and cities by 23 March.

"The adoption of the Constitutional Law on National Minorities last December was an important move ahead," he said. "Its timely application is essential to secure minority rights in Croatia."

The Government now needed to develop plans to ensure minority representation in the state administration and judiciary, he added.

The Head of Mission urged the country's authorities to promptly apply the law, to ensure that minorities were not deprived of proper representation.