PROGRESS MADE IN MINORITY EMPLOYMENT, BUT OBSTACLES

UNCLAS ZAGREB 001421

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV HR
SUBJECT: PROGRESS MADE IN MINORITY EMPLOYMENT, BUT OBSTACLES
PERSIST


1. (SBU) SUMMARY AND COMMENT: A November 27 roundtable discussion
sponsored jointly by the Parliament, GOC and OSCE Mission
highlighted progress made by local and regional administrations in
employing minorities (mainly ethnic Serbs),while Serb politicians
complained about delays in implementing the relevant provisions of
the 2002 Constitutional Law on National Minorities. A GOC official
asserted that the 2007 plan for employment in the State
administration will include provisions for employment of ethnic
minorities. A member of the EC delegation at the event told the
Embassy that the GOC's inability to produce accurate and timely
statistics hurt its case; he also noted that the CLNM was one of the
"most generous" minority laws in Europe and would be difficult for
any country to implement completely. Minority employment guidelines
in the law present a quandary for the GOC, which would like to
decrease the public sector's unsustainable 50% of GDP, but faces
elections in 2007 and high unemployment (for all ethnicities) in
poorer regions where state jobs are among the few available. END
SUMMARY AND COMMENT.


2. (U) The Parliamentary Committee for Human Rights and the Rights
of National Minorities, the GOC's Central State Administration
Office, and the OSCE Mission jointly sponsored a November 27
roundtable at Parliament to focus on implementation of Article 22
(employment of minorities in local and regional administrations) of
the Constitutional Law on National Minorities (CLNM). The CLNM
specifies that all 62 cities and municipalities must ensure
proportional representation of ethnic minorities in administrations.



3. (U) State Secretary for Central State Administration Antun
Palaric described the situation as "satisfactory" given that over 80
percent of towns and municipalities have ensured the representation
of minorities in local legislative bodies and in the executive
authority. According to Palaric, more than 50% of towns and
municipalities have employed the necessary number of ethnic
minorities' representatives in local administrative services, but
the process stalled when there were no more vacancies in such
services. "We will be able to fulfill the provisions of the
Constitutional law only when certain posts are emptied," he noted.
"Our goal is not to lay off someone in order to employ someone
else." Human Rights Ombudsman Jurica Malcic acknowledged that some
delays occurred in the employment of minorities' representatives,
but emphasized that the political will to make progress exists.


4. (U) On the whole, Croat mayors tended to praise the situation
(although recognizing difficulties),while the Serb representatives
argued that too much was left up to the political will of local
governments. Ethnic Serb MP Gajica cited two examples, noting that
small steps in the right direction were needed to send the right
message. He asserted that he had complained to the Government that
not one officer in the Lika police department is of Serb ethnicity.
The official answer he received was that the Interior Ministry
(MUP),as a state-level agency, has already achieved proportionality
at the "state level," leving Lika under-represented while other
communities are over-represented. In another case, a well-qualified
Serb candidate applied for a judge position in the Banija region.
For no apparent reason, the bidding proceedings were cancelled. The
official reply (allegedly from the Minister) was that the candidate
identified himself as a representative of the "Serb community"
rather than the "Serb minority" which ultimately disqualified him.

BRADTKE