Criticism of Slovenia in the latest report by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) is in no way "negative or unpleasant for Slovenia. It is realistic and could serve as a good guideline for those dealing with the issue", FM Dimitrij Rupel said in Brussels on Tuesday.
The report, officially published by the Council of Europe (CoE), praises Slovenia for its "attitude towards the Roma," said Rupel and added that the issue of the Strojan family is not even mentioned, because it took place after the period of time covered by the report.
The Strojans had to move out from their home in late October after a confrontation with an angry mob. They are currently living near Ljubljana after spending two months in a refugee centre in the southwestern town of Postojna.
In its third report on Slovenia, the ECRI said much progress had been made since its last report, yet some of the problems remained unsolved, most notably the situation of the "erased".
Regarding the erased - people unlawfully removed from the register of permanent residents in February 1992 - the report calls on the government to implement without delay a relevant Constitutional Court decision from 2003.
Rupel meanwhile added that the "government has often said that it is ready to solve the issue with a constitutional act" and is lobbying for the two-thirds support of MPs to pass the legislation.
Prime Minister Janez Jansa told the press that the government intends to respond to the report after it studies it in its entirety.
The report also touches on the rights of "non-autochthonous" ex-Yugoslav minorities and members of the Muslim communities which still face discrimination - reflected most prominently in the disputes surrounding the construction of a mosque in Ljubljana.
The report, which covers the period between 2003 and June 2006, also points to the increased use of intolerant discourse in Slovenian politics, which makes the situation of all minority groups even worse.
Some things could certainly be improved, Rupel added.
|
Subscribe
To receive our weekly newsletter by e-mail subscribe here.
HOME
Government | Calendar of Events | Media Room | About Slovenia
Sitemap | Contact us | About us | Graphic version | Slovensko
© Government Communication Office