B4-1110/96

Resolution on the situation in Croatia

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on Croatia and former Yugoslavia,

A. whereas numerous cases of looting, arson, murder and harassment, mainly directed against Croatian Serbs residing in what used to be the Former Sector North and South, Krajina, have been reported by various organizations, including the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights and Human Rights Watch/Helsinki,

B. whereas the Croatian Government has failed to show a strong commitment to investigate the crimes committed, nor given clear instructions to the local police to improve the safety of inhabitants in the area,

C. whereas the Croatian Government has been criticized by UNHCR and the Red Cross for creating bureaucratic obstacles for Croatian Serb refugees who want to return to Croatia from camps in Serbia,

D. aware of the indignation of Croat citizens caused by the discovery of several mass graves around Vukovar, which provides further proof of the serious crimes committed by the JNA and allied militia;

E. whereas a new law on public information came into force on 2 October 1996; whereas, however, positive aspects of this law are offset by other measures that curtail freedom of the media, notably the new defamation law that protects the President and four other top state officials from public criticism, and the numerous trials initiated by the government against the independent press, threatening the economic survival of the papers in question,

F. whereas one of the few free radio stations in the country, Radio 101 in Zagreb, is running the risk of losing its permit to broadcast, since it expires in November and has not been renewed despite several requests,

G. taking account of the relations between government circles in Zagreb and the Bosnian Croat leadership in Mostar and the latter's destabilising influence on the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina,

1. Calls on the Croatian Government to ensure a thorough investigation of crimes committed in Krajina and to take further measures to provide adequate security for the inhabitants in the area;

2. Welcomes the positive steps taken by the Croatian Government, including the new general amnesty law passed on 5 October 1996, and calls on the Croatian Government to remove any other obstacles to the return of refugees, and to live up to the Dayton agreement in every other respect;

3. Calls on the Croatian Government to repeal its amendments to the penal code so that it does not exempt top officials from public criticism;

4. Calls upon the Croatian Government to contribute in a more convincing way to the restoration of the Republic of Bosnia- Herzegovina as a citizen state and the realization of the rights of all citizens, regardless of their ethnic background, in line with the Dayton agreement;

5. Expects the Council of Europe to monitor closely the situation in Croatia and to do all in its power to encourage its new member to adopt policies that are fully compatible with respect for human rights;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Council of Europe, the President of Croatia and the Croatian Parliament.