WRITTEN QUESTION No. 266/98 by Yiannis ROUBATIS to the Commission. The Tudjman regime's tactics in Croatia
Date: 1998-02-13
Institutions: European Parliament, ROUBATIS
Subjects: Croatia, democracy, dictatorship, freedom of association, freedom of expression, freedom of opinion, freedom of the press, human rights, non-governmental organisation, protection of freedoms

21. 10. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 323/29

(98/C 323/34)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0236/98

by Jose· Salafranca  Sa·nchez-Neyra (PPE) to the Commission

(13 February 1998)

Subject: Helms-Burton Act

On Thursday 15 January 1998 the EU and the USA held a ministerial meeting in Washington.

One of the topics raised was undoubtedly the Helms-Burton Act relating to Cuba.

Could  the  Commission  provide  information  regarding  the  progress  which  has  been  made  in  the  negotiations
since 15 October 1997?

Answer given by Sir Leon Brittan on behalf of the Commission

(13 March 1998)

Under  the  terms  of  the  April  1997  understanding  between  the  Community  and  the  United  States  on  the
Helms-Burton and D(cid:146)Amato legislation, the Community and the United States are seeking to develop jointly
agreed  disciplines  on  investments  in  illegally  expropriated  property  and  principles  governing  the  use  of
extraterritorial legislation.

Recent contacts between the Community and the United States, since the 15 January Community and United
States ministerial, have been constructive. The Community continues to argue that positive progress must be
recorded on all the various aspects of the Understanding, both on Helms-Burton and D(cid:146)Amato, to ensure a full
implementation  therof.  We  continue  to  press  the  United  States  for  a  rapid  solution  to  all  these  issues  which
protects European interests and inhibits future United States recourse to illegal extraterritorial legislation.

(98/C 323/35)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0266/98

by Yiannis Roubatis (PSE) to the Commission

(13 February 1998)

Subject: The Tudjman regime(cid:146)s tactics in Croatia

According  to  a  report  in  the  International  Herald  Tribune,  the  Tudjman  regime  in  Croatia  is  prosecting  the
Croatian Helsinki Committee and the independent newspaper Feral Tribune, and it is seeking to impose controls
on and abolish Croatian and foreign institutions which do not meet with its approval, subsidiaries of foreign
undertakings,  humanitarian  and  other  non-governmental  organisations  which  are  struggling  for  the  indepen-
dence of the mass media, democracy and human rights in Croatia.

The  reason  given  by  the  Tudjman  regime  for  this  prosecution  is  that  all  the  organisations  are  introducing  a
dangerous new ideology into Croatia.

Will the Commission say:

1. 

Is it aware of these tactics by the Tudjman regime?

2.  Does  it  intend  to  finance  and  to  support  by  every  means  the  institutions  in  Croatia  which  are  being

prosecuted?

3.  Does  it  intend  to  call  on  the  Croatian  President  to  cease  prosecuting  bodies  which  are  supporting  the

independence of the mass media, human rights and democracy in Croatia?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(13 March 1998)

The  Commission  shares  the  Honourable  Member(cid:146)s  concern  in  relation  to  the  freedom  of  association  and
expression in Croatia, in particular as regards recent laws and restrictions on the activities of non-governmental
organisations  (NGOs)  and  independent  media.  It  has  voiced  its  concern  at  various  levels  and  on  multiple
occasions in contacts with the Croatian authorities.

Respect for human rights is one of the conditions for the development of improved relations between Croatia and
the  Community.  Indeed,  freedom  of  expression  and  of  association  are  specifically  mentioned  in  the  Council
conclusions  of  29  April  1997  which  set  out  conditions  for  the  development  of  bilateral  relations  with  the
countries covered by the Community(cid:146)s regional approach towards the countries of South Eastern Europe.