ZAGREB, July 23, 2019 – Public Administration Minister Ivan Malenica said on Tuesday the issue of bilingual signs on state institution buildings in Vukovar and the eastern town’s government’s dissatisfaction about them could be resolved through dialogue and agreement between representatives of ethnic minorities and the majority population.
He was asked by reporters if any legal solution was being considered to punish the local government should it fail to comply with a recent Constitutional Court decision under which the rights of the Serb ethnic minority in Vukovar must be enhanced.
“All bills should be considered… in agreement and dialogue between representatives of ethnic minorities and the majority Croatian population. I hope the Vukovar Town Council will adopt a conclusion on that in October so there will be no need to dissolve the council.”
Malenica said they planned to draw up such a bill and table it so that the Constitutional Court decision was complied with.
“It’s up to the government and the Public Administration Ministry to honour Constitutional Court decisions, as it is up to Vukovar,” he said, adding “there should be a dialogue between representatives of ethnic minorities and the Croatian population on legal norms and acts that will regulate minority rights.”
Malenica said a legal norm made sense only if it envisaged certain sanctions.
More news about national minorities can be found in the Politics section.
