Croatia
Current Operations
OSCE Office in Zagreb
(OSCE Other Field Activities)
Since: 01/08
More Information
Military reform under way (14.04.2004)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) The Croatian government has announced decisive measures meant to jumpstart the process of reforming the country's military. … In addition, authorities have responded to a NATO request by deciding to establish a special command operations unit whose principal task would be to prepare Croatian soldiers for peacekeeping missions.
Sanader: property rights guaranteed for serb returnees (09.03.2004)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader has made a personal guarantee of property ownership rights for all refugees. Speaking to Belgrade-based B92 on 1 March, Sanader said that his government is considering ways to resolve the property rights of displaced Serbs. Describing the issue as complex, he said it could be settled by the June deadline for Croats to move out of Serb-owned apartments.
European Experts to Advise on Media Legislation (24.02.2004)
(Quelle: OSCE) A group of European media experts will meet Croatian Government officials, lawmakers and civil society representatives this week to give advice on media legislation and ways to bring it fully in line with European standards. Taking place at the request of the Croatian Government, the visit is jointly organized by the Council of Europe, the European Commission and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
OSCE's Ekeus Praises Croatia's Reforms on Ethnic Minorities (18.02.2004)
(Quelle: Balkan Times) OSCE High Commissioner for Ethnic Minorities Rolf Ekeus commended the Croatian Parliament for passing a series of legislative reforms for ethnic minorities. Ekeus met with Parliament Speaker Vladimir Sheks on Tuesday (17 February) to discuss implementation of the measures. Sheks emphasised the success of recent elections for representatives of ethnic minorities in local governments, considered a key step in implementing the new legislation.
Foreign Minister Says Refugee Return Top Priority (16.02.2004)
(Quelle: OSCE) Croatian Foreign Minister Miomir Zuzul today said that the new government in Zagreb was sincerely committed to implementing the highest international standards in the field of minority rights. 'At the top of our list of priorities, we have placed the unconditional return of all refugees, regardless of their ethnicity, and the return of their property,' Dr Zuzul said, speaking at a special session of the OSCE's 55-nation Permanent Council in Vienna.
Croatia's Mesic Urges Gotovina to Surrender (07.02.2004)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) President Stipe Mesic said on Saturday (7 February) that Ante Gotovina, one of the UN war crimes tribunal's most wanted indictees, should surrender to authorities. 'I still think it is more useful for Gotovina, Croatia, and the Croatian Army that he answers the questions of the court in The Hague,' the president said.
Hague Prosecutor Says Croatia to Try Some War Crimes Cases (02.02.2004)
(Quelle: RFE/RL) Carla Del Ponte, who is the chief prosecutor of the Hague-based war crimes tribunal, told Croatian Television on 31 January that only 'very few' indictments remain to be issued against Croatian citizens in connection with the 1991-95 conflicts, RFE/RL's South Slavic and Albanian Languages Service and Hina reported. She said the tribunal will transfer some unspecified cases to Croatian courts in the spring, adding, however, that fugitive former Croatian General Ante Gotovina must be tried in The Hague.
HDZ Makes Astonishing U-Turn (12.01.2004)
(Quelle: ISN) The newly appointed prime minister Ivo Sanader has taken a series of spectacular steps to seemingly change the hard-line nationalist image of his Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, party, since its victory in elections last month.
UN Refugee Agency Closes Last Field Offices (07.01.2004)
(Quelle: UN News) The UN refugee agency has closed its three remaining field offices in Croatia, marking the end of an era in which it helped repatriate over 100,000 Croatian Serbs over 12 years and signalling what it called a 'sea change' in the region that gave birth to the term 'ethnic cleansing.'
Sanader to Form Minority Government (11.12.2003)
(Quelle: IWPR) President Stipe Mesic on December 9 proposed Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, leader Ivo Sanader as prime minister after the party emerged the largest in the November 23 elections. … Not being able to form coalition, the incoming administration instead offered expensive concessions to the 11 deputies it needed to establish a minority government. They come from other small parties and various ethnic minority groups. The concessions, observers say, will bankrupt the new government.
Post-Election Turmoil (04.12.2003)
(Quelle: IWPR) The continuing confusion over who will eventually govern is leading local and international analysts to predict a period of instability, with further elections possible. … Instead of the HDZ forming an alliance with the HSP (Croatian Rights Party)… major problems appear to have arisen. The international community has spoken out strongly against HDZ forming a coalition with such an extreme-right party, and has warned that such an alliance could hinder Croatia's efforts to join the European Union.
Farmers’ Party Against Coalition with HDZ (03.12.2003)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) (Croatian Farmers’ Party) HSS leader Zlatko Tomcic said the members of the executive board voted unanimously after much debate. The result is that HDZ may not be able to form a government. … It has secured other six votes from centrist and centrist-right formations, but needs five more votes to obtain over 50 per cent support.
Croatian Serbs Willing to Support HDZ Government (25.11.2003)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) The party, which won Sunday's parliamentary elections, says it has broken with its nationalist past and now includes EU and NATO integration among its top priorities. During the campaign, HDZ leader Ivo Sanader, who is expected to replace Ivica Racan as prime minister, vowed to improve relations with Serbia and urged Serb refugees to return.
Sanader vor schwierigen Koalitionsverhandlungen (25.11.2003)
(Quelle: taz) Doch trotz seines Sieges - allein regieren wird Ivo Sanader nicht können. Und die Bildung einer Koalitionsregierung dürfte nicht ganz einfach werden. Vernichtend geschlagen wurde die bisherige dritte Kraft Kroatiens, die Sozialliberalen (HSLS), die vor einem Jahr die regierende Koalition verließen und gerne mit Sanader koalieren würden.
Elections „Generally in Line with International Standards“( (24.11.2003)
(Quelle: www.osce.org) However, some issues remain to be addressed, concluded the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Election Observation Mission (EOM). … The issues outstanding are in regard to improving the legislative framework for elections, addressing the short time frame available for election administration, increasing the accessibility for out-of-country voting and increasing transparency of campaign spending.
Sanaders HDZ Sieger der Parlamentswahlen (24.11.2003)
(Quelle: FAZ) Die Nationalisten prophezeiten ihm starke Verluste am rechten Rand, aber die aus der HDZ ausgeschlossenen Rechtsextremen, unter ihnen sein schärfster Rivale Ivica Pasalic, schafften auf eigenen Listen nicht einmal mehr den Einzug ins Parlament. … Sanaders Kalkül, die HDZ aus dem Schatten der Tudjman-Ära herauszuführen und sie als konservative Kraft der Mitte neu zu definieren, ohne explizit mit den 'Fehlern der Vergangenheit' abzurechnen, ist jedoch aufgegangen.
HDZ Ready for Comeback? (19.11.2003)
(Quelle: Washington Post) The late President Franjo Tudjman's party, once synonymous with fiery Balkans nationalism and autocratic rule, claims it has reformed and is ready to return to power in Sunday's parliamentary elections. … The Croatian Democratic Union, better known by its Croatian acronym, HDZ, leads recent surveys with 20 percent to 28 percent support - 2 to 9 points more than Prime Minister Ivica Racan's Social Democrats.
EU Beitritt unabhängig von Entwicklung der Region (13.11.2003)
(Quelle: Deutsche Welle Monitor) Kroatien muss nicht auf die anderen Länder der Region warten, um in die Europäische Union aufgenommen zu werden. Das erklärte der für die EU-Erweiterung zuständige EU-Kommissar Günter Verheugen nach seinem Treffen mit dem kroatischen Ministerpräsidenten Ivica Racan.
Opposition Party Asks Serbs to Return (12.11.2003)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) The main opposition party Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) is urging Serb refugees to return, and promises to defend their rights. HDZ leader Ivo Sanader said in an interview on Wednesday (12 November) that his party would also work to improve ties with Serbia if it wins the 23 November parliamentary elections. Polls indicate the HDZ is ahead, but is unlikely to win enough votes to form a government on its own.
Gotovina und der EU-Beitritt (05.11.2003)
(Quelle: NZZ) Die Chefanklägerin des Uno-Tribunals für Kriegsverbrechen im ehemaligen Jugoslawien, Carla del Ponte, hat die EU am Dienstag aufgerufen, den Beitritt Kroatiens von der Auslieferung eines mutmasslichen Kriegsverbrechers abhängig zu machen. Del Ponte widersprach damit dem deutschen Bundeskanzler Gerhard Schröder. Schröder hatte bei einem Besuch in Kroatien vergangene Woche erklärt, er sei dagegen, dass der EU-Beitritt und die Auslieferung des flüchtigen Generals Ante Gotovina zwingend verbunden würden.
Deutschland unterstützt EU-Beitrittspläne (31.10.2003)
(Quelle: Die Welt) Bundeskanzler Gerhard Schröder hat sich für einen Beitritt Kroatiens zur Europäischen Union im Jahr 2007 ausgesprochen. … Das Land hatte im Februar die Aufnahme zur EU beantragt; strebte Zagreb den Beitritt tatsächlich binnen drei Jahren an, würde dies im Vergleich zu den Mitbewerbern Rumänien und Bulgarien einen extrem kurzen Zeitraum bedeuten.
OSCE Thinks Fewer Observers Sufficient (20.10.2003)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) The OSCE mission to Zagreb said Sunday (19 October) that it will deploy significantly fewer monitors for next month's general elections than in previous years. For the first time, OSCE observers will not fan out to polling stations across the country, rather, they will monitor the vote from OSCE offices in Zagreb and other towns. Spokesman Alessandro Fracassetti says the decision reflects 'a certain faith in the voting process and election monitoring by domestic organisations'.
Kopfgeld für Gotovina (09.10.2003)
(Quelle: Deutsche Welle Monitor) Die Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika haben fünf Millionen Dollar Belohnung für sachdienliche Hinweise über den augenblicklichen Aufenthaltsort des flüchtigen kroatischen Generals Ante Gotovina ausgesetzt. Dies sagte … der amerikanische Beauftragte für Kriegsverbrechen, Botschafter Pierre-Richard Prosper. Dem möglichen Informanten werde ferner auf Wunsch vollkommener Identitätsschutz gewährt sowie eine Umsiedelung weltweit – einschließlich der USA – ermöglicht.
Hague Indectee Wants to Negotiate (06.10.2003)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) Retired Croatian General Ante Gotovina has conditioned his surrender on preliminary talks with the court's investigators in Zagreb. … Gotovina, who is the tribunal's third most-wanted indictee, went into hiding more than 2 years ago. … Croatia, which hopes to join the EU in 2007, has over the last few months come under mounting international pressure to hand Gotovina over.
“Refugee Return Is Not a Threat” (24.09.2003)
(Quelle: osce.org) Head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia, Ambassador Peter Semneby, said today in Zadar that refugee return should not be seen as a threat but rather an opportunity to build an enriched and integrated society in Croatia.
Croatian Vote Set for 23 November (23.09.2003)
(Quelle: RFE/RL) Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan told reporters in Zagreb on 22 September that he will soon ask President Stipe Mesic to call general elections for 23 November, international and regional media reported. Racan added that by 9 October the government will give the EU answers to all of its 4,500 questions regarding Croatia's preparations for membership.
Mesic Agrees to Autumn Elections (19.08.2003)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) President Stipe Mesic has said for the first time that he would not object to holding the next general elections this autumn. In an interview with the Zagreb daily Jutarnji List, Mesic said that despite his personal opinion that the elections should be held next spring, he would schedule the vote for this fall.
Parliamentary Elections in November (24.07.2003)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) Prime Minister Ivica Racan said Wednesday (23 July) that parliamentary elections would likely be held on 23 November, though the exact date hinges on the time it takes the government to complete a lengthy EU questionnaire which is key to eventual EU membership.
OSCE Sees Progress in Croatia (08.07.2003)
(Quelle: osce.org) A report on Croatia's fulfilment of its international commitments was outlined to the media on 8th July by the Head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia, Ambassador Peter Semneby. The 29-page report details progress in areas under the OSCE mandate including refugee return, justice and the rule of law, reintegration and restitution of property, freedom of the media, police reform and work with non-governmental organizations from the period from November 2002 to June 2003.
Kroatien und Serbien wollen Zusammenarbeit verbessern (12.06.2003)
(Quelle: Southeast European Times) Minister for European Integration Neven Mimica and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Cedomir Jovanovic met on Wednesday (11 June), announcing afterwards that their countries are ready to intensify bilateral co-operation and exchange experiences about the process of EU integration. … Jovanovic added that Belgrade was seriously considering withdrawing Serbian Army troops from the border with Croatia. Zagreb has made that one of the conditions for lifting its visa regime for Serbia-Montenegro citizens.