CERD on minorities in Slovenia
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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2000 17:50:44 +0200 (EET)
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Subject: CERD on minorities in Slovenia
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
CERD on minorities in Slovenia
On 10 August 2000, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial
Discrimination adopted its concluding observations and recommendations
on the reports of Slovenia and Mauritius which were considered last
week (see
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/FramePage/PressRoom?OpenDocument
). Some excerpts from the corresponding Press Release follow.
"CERD
57th session
10 August 2000
Morning
..On the report of Slovenia, the Committee noted the specific
measures taken for the promotion and protection of the human rights of
the Roma population and the measures adopted to resolve the issue of
citizenship of former citizens of the Socialist Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia following the proclamation of the independence of Slovenia.
The Committee expressed concern that minority groups, such as Croats,
Serbs, Bosnians and Roma, did not enjoy the same level of protection
from the State party as the Italian and Hungarian minorities, and it
recommended that Slovenia, in accordance with article 2 of the
Convention, ensure that persons or groups of persons belonging to
other minorities were not discriminated against...
Concluding Observations and Recommendations on Report of Slovenia
Among positive aspects in the report of Slovenia, the Committee
welcomed the efforts undertaken by the authorities since its
independence in 1991 to ensure the promotion and protection of human
rights; the appropriate measures taken by the State party to resolve
the issue of citizenship of former citizens of the Socialist Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia following the proclamation of the independence
of Slovenia; and the specific measures taken for the promotion and
protection of the human rights of the Roma population.
The Committee was concerned, among other things, about the status of
the Convention vis-a-vis national legislation, especially with regard
to cases of conflict with domestic laws and the possibility of
invoking provisions of the Convention in courts; that minority groups,
such as Croats, Serbs, Bosnians and Roma, did not enjoy the same level
of protection from the State party as the Italian and Hungarian
minorities; that the legislation presently in force did not seem to
respond to all requirements of article 4 of the Convention, which were
mandatory; that the efforts in sensitizing and training civil servants
on human rights and racial discrimination issues were not sufficient;
and that the temporary protection offered by Slovenia to refugees
might be insufficient to guarantee their basic rights.
The Committee recommended, among other things, that Slovenia provide
further information in its next periodic report on the status of the
Convention in domestic law and on court cases in which the Convention
had been invoked; that the State party, in accordance with article 2
of the Convention, ensure that persons or groups of persons belonging
to other minorities were not discriminated against; that all
appropriate measures be taken to inform the general public about
existing judicial remedies for victims of racism and xenophobia in
order to encourage them to use such remedies; that Slovenia strengthen
its human rights sensitization and training programmes, especially
with regard to law enforcement and military personnel; and that it
review its policy on temporary protection of refugees in order to
guarantee all their rights and facilitate their integration in
Slovenian society."
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