Regional international organisations |
New developments in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe - the Corfu Process
Despite the fact that the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) lost the role it had in early 1990s, when it used to be the key instrument for initiating democratic changes and the pillar around which a new European security structure was built, it is still an important factor of European security and the only one that includes both component parts - the Euro-Atlantic and the Euro-Asian one. A long-term process of reforms has, to a certain extent, paralysed the work of the organisation. Since decisions are reached by consensus, the regular annual ministerial meetings were not able to adopt a joint declaration for several years in a row.
During its chairmanship in 2009, Greece tried to give new impetus to the Organisation - at the end of June, Corfu hosted the first OSCE Informal Ministerial Meeting and concurrently the ministerial meeting of the NATO - Russia Council, whereby contacts with the Russian Federation were re-established after the Georgian crisis had led to a six month suspension of dialogue. The Corfu Meeting launched
a new mechanism for the exchange of views on a broad spectrum of issues regarding European security within the framework of the so called Platform for Co-operative Security, allowing for all existing European security institutions to contribute. On 1-2 December in Athens, the OSCE Ministerial Council expressed its support by adopting a Ministerial Decision on the Corfu Process and the Decision on Furthering the Corfu Process. By virtue of participating in preparations and discussions in all mentioned meetings, the Republic of Croatia was actively involved in the Corfu Process from the very beginning.
By applying OSCE standards, Croatia continued its long-term engagement in the OSCE within the three main OSCE dimensions – the human dimension (human and minority rights protection, freedom of the media, tolerance and non-discrimination), the economic and environmental dimension (sustainable development) and the military and political dimension (weapons control and confidence building). Croatian representatives participated in a number of OSCE working groups, particularly those concerned with combating terrorism, border security and other means of co-operation security.
By secondment of state and civil sector personnel to OSCE Missions, Croatia has continued actively contributing to OSCE field activities.
After years of continued active participation in the work of the missions of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), Croatia took part in election monitoring by sending election observers on several occasions. Croatian non-governmental organisations also participated in monitoring missions and professional seminars, thereby additionally confirming good co-operation with the ODIHR.
In 2009 the OSCE Office in Zagreb continued to monitor war crimes trials and report to OSCE headquarters on the implementation of the Government's Housing Programme. The Croatian Government and the OSCE Office in Zagreb continued to hold regular monthly meetings, as part of the agreed consultative mechanism under the OSCE Office mandate in Croatia. On two occasions (in March and November), the OSCE Office in Zagreb presented the “Progress Report relating to the development of events and activities encompassed by the mandate” to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, in which it noted the overall progress of the Republic of Croatia in the implementation of commitments under the mandate of the OSCE Office in Zagreb. The Reports emphasise the positive, sustainable and irreversible progress made by the Republic of Croatia regarding issues under the mandate of the Office.
The decision of the Permanent Council extending the mandate of the OSCE Office in Zagreb until 31 December 2010, confirmed that the Croatian Government has made considerable progress in fulfilling commitments pertaining to issues under both mandates of the OSCE Office. The OSCE Office in Zagreb was given the task of submitting the Progress Report by the end of 2010 as the basis for the evaluation of the fulfilment of the mandate and mandate-related tasks by the Permanent Council.
Council of Europe - 60 years of activity
The year 2009 marked the 60th anniversary of the Council of Europe as the oldest European organisation and the 50th anniversary of the European Court of Human Rights. Along with a series of accompanying events that were organised in Strasbourg and other member states, including Croatia, the celebration focused on two central events: the 119th Session of the Committee of Ministers held in Madrid in May and a Declaration adopted on that occasion, and the celebration held on 1 October in
Strasbourg in the week of the autumn session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The latter event hosted many high ranking officials from the European political scene. On the same occasion national winners of an essay writing competition were awarded diplomas for exploring the theme of the Council of Europe, among them Lea Araminčić from Rijeka. The commemorative celebration was also joined by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, whose Declaration was, on this occasion, presented by the Congress Vice-President and leader of the Croatian delegation Dubravka Šuica.
In this context, the Republic of Croatia in 2009 continued to strengthen its position as an active member of the Council of Europe by promoting its principles on an international level and honouring obligations arising from membership. Owing primarily to the constructive participation in the Council of Europe's programmes and activities, especially in promoting specific thematic interests which contribute to the country's recognisability as a member of the Organisation, Croatia has managed to build a partner relationship with the Council of Europe. Croatia has distinguished itself in the field of family law by being a leading promoter of initiatives aimed at combating violence against women (for instance, Croatia has handed
over to the Council of Europe its national television clip on combating violence against women that was presented at the Venice Film Festival) and introducing a ban on corporal punishment of children, as well as by participating in the protection of national minority rights, combating human trafficking and terrorism, and supporting the reform of the European Court for Human Rights and a systematic execution of its verdicts. In this way it has contributed to the work of the Organisation and to the achievement of its basic objectives pertaining to the strengthening of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
Pursuant to obligations under different conventions and agreements of the Council of Europe, Croatian experts have regularly participated in the work of some seventy standing and ad hoc bodies (committees) of the Council of Europe, as well as in various conferences organised by the Council of Europe in Strasbourg and in the Member States. In 2009 Croatia gained further recognition through active contribution of its experts in the bodies of the Council of Europe. Particularly notable were the activities of Ambassador Ranko Vilović as chairman of the Committee of Experts on Terrorism (CODEXTER), Ambassador Dubravka Šimonović as co-chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic
Violence (CAHVIO), in charge of drafting a new Council of Europe Convention on this issue, and Ksenija Turković of the Zagreb Law School who had a leading role in the preparation of European Guidelines on Child-friendly Justice. Also notable was the election of Damir Bolta (Ministry of Finance) to the Bureau of the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures (MONEYVAL) and the election of Tihomir Kralj (Ministry of the Interior) to the Bureau of the Committee on Crime Problems (CDPC).
Continuing the dynamics of adoption of European legal instruments, by the end of 2009 the Republic of Croatia was a party to 88 European conventions, agreements and protocols (out of a total of 209 Council of Europe legal instruments). Throughout the course of the year, Croatia ratified the Convention on Contact concerning Children and signed the revised version of the European Social Charter. On 1 February the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons and the Council of Europe Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of Terrorism entered into force. Moreover, Croatia is a party to 11 out of 13 Partial Agreements of the Council of Europe.
The Republic of Croatia actively participated in the reform process of the European Court of Human Rights with a view to ensuring its
long-term efficiency. By consistently observing the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms at the national level, Croatia has also contributed to the unburdening of the Court’s caseload. The cases tried before the Court against the Republic of Croatia are becoming more diverse and demanding, but the overall number of verdicts for human rights violation is stable and still relatively low.
Throughout 2009, Croatia was devoted to preparing and submitting State Reports on the implementation of the two most important Council of Europe legal instruments in the field of protection of national minorities: in October Croatia submitted its third Report on the Implementation of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (five-year monitoring cycle) and at the end of the year it submitted the fourth Report on the Implementation of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages (three-year monitoring cycle).
Important high level meetings include the participation of the President of the Republic of Croatia Stjepan Mesić at the Council of Europe's Summer School for Democracy on 7 and 8 July. On the margins of the meeting, the President met with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis, the President of the European
Court for Human Rights Jean-Paul Costa, and the Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg. The Minister of Justice Ivan Šimonović participated at the Conference commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Partial Agreement and of the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO); the State Secretary for Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Davor Božinović headed the Croatian delegation at the 119th Session of the Committee of Ministers in Madrid.