E400 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð Extensions of Remarks March 17, 1998 from a former communist republic to a de- media must be allowed to report without favored by the ruling party. And the judicial mocracy would not happen overnight, it has fear of reprisal, and the judiciary must be system continues to be heavily influenced by been seven years since Croatia declared itself independent from any political influence. We the ruling party. The U.S. Congressmen cited an independent democratic nation, and little therefore urge you to increase the pressure the dismissal of Krunislav Olujic, the Presi- progress has been made in implementing on the Croatian government to come in line dent of the Supreme Court of Croatia and re- democratic reforms. This was recently re- with internationally recognized democratic ferred to the report of OSCE that Olujic's affirmed by the State Department's Country principles through all means at your dis- dismissal put in question the separation of Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1997. posal, including the disbursement of U.S. as- powers provided for the Constitution. In its report, the State Department makes sistance. SEVEN YEARS SINCE INDEPENDENCE, THE RE- the finding that in Croatia ``the continuing Sincerely, PUBLIC OF CROATIA HAS MADE VERY LITTLE concentration of power within the one-party Tom Lantos, Tom Campbell, Tony P. PROGRESS TOWARD DEVELOPING DEMOCRACY central government, makes Croatia's nomi- Hall, John Edward Porter, Martin nally democratic system in reality authori- Frost, Henry J. Hyde, Benjamin A. Gil- The American Congressmen wrote the tarian.'' man, Luise V. Gutierrez, William O. Li- American President that while they had not Most print and broadcast media continue pinski, Edolphus Towns, Jesse L. Jack- expected that democracy would happen over- to be owned by the Croatian government re- son Jr., Joel Hefley. night in a former communist republic, they sulting in considerable restriction on free- found it regrettable the Republic of Croatia dom of the press. Journalists who criticize has made very little progress toward democ- the government face harassment and even VOICE OF AMERICAÐAMERICAN CONGRESSMEN racy development in the last seven years. prosecution. the Association of Electronic REQUEST OF PRESIDENT CLINTON THAT HE They urged President Clinton to increase Media Journalists was established in October INCREASE THE PRESSURE ON THE REPUBLIC pressure on the Croatian government to 1997, and issued a manifesto (``Forum 21'') OF CROATIA TO BECOME A DEMOCRATIC carry out several demands: first, that Cro- with 21 points calling for professional and COUNTRY atia should hold fair and free elections based open electronic media. The State Depart- (By Bojan Klima) on election laws which do not favor the rul- ment found ``13 of members who worked for A group of very influential American Con- ing party over the opposition; second, the state radio and television, came under imme- gressmen recently sent a letter to President government must return democratically- diate pressure and threats from the HDZ Bill Clinton and submitted a resolution to elected leaders of Parliamentary parties who [President Tudjman's party] and the state- the U.S. Congress. The lawmakers wanted to were removed by administrative measures; run media to curtail these outside activi- increase the pressure on the Croatian gov- third, their must be multi-party control of ties.'' The State Department further re- ernment to come in line with fundamental the election process; and fourth that journal- ported ``The Government maintained an un- democratic principles. The Congressmen ists and judges must be allowed to function official campaign of harassment of the inde- urged the American President that he use all without fear of reprisal or political repres- pendent media throughout the year.'' means at his disposal, including disburse- sion. Finally, these very influential Amer- In August 1997, the Croatian government ment of U.S. assistance. Among the many ican Congressmen requested of President brought charges against two prominent distinguished cosponsors and signatures are Clinton that he increase the pressure on the human rights activists, Ivan Cicak, long- influential Benjamin Gilman, Chairman of Croatian government to come in line with time President of the Croatian Helsinki the International Relations Committee, Con- internationally-recognized democratic prin- Committee, and politician Dobroslav Paraga, gressman Tom Lantos, a member of this ciples. The Congressmen requested that President of the Croatian Party of Rights Committee, and Congressman Henry Hyde. President Clinton use all means at his dis- 1861. The government alleged that both men What is the reason for this contact with posal, including U.S. economic assistance. had violated the Criminal Code by dissemi- President Clinton? nating false information with the intent of INTOLERANCE TOWARD FUNDAMENTAL f causing political instability in the country. POLITICAL FREEDOMS According to the State Department Report, The lawmakers expressed deep concern re- SUPPORT GROWS FOR CREDIT ``. the same and similar statements had garding the Croatian government's contin- UNIONS been made by these individualsÐwith no en- ued pattern of intolerance toward the basic suing public disorderÐseveral years pre- freedoms of political expression. In these viously and that similar sentiments were ex- documents the Congressmen spoke of free- HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI pressed by others.'' The charges were dom of expression, freedom of media and sev- OF PENNSYLVANIA brought against these men within days of eral violations against civil rights of individ- their meeting with the investigators from uals. For example, they wrote that the gov- HON. STEVE C. LaTOURETTE The Hague War Crimes Tribunal in which ernment has control of most of the elec- OF OHIO they turned over documentation involving tronic and print media. Journalists who allegations against several high government criticize the government face harassment IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES officials. and even persecution. One example, the In addition, the Organization for Security Tuesday, March 17, 1998 American State Department found thirteen and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) found the journalist, who worked for State radio and presidential election in June of 1997 to be Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, my col- television and who are members of Forum 21, ``fundamentally flawed'' and came to a simi- league, Mr. LATOURETTE and I wish to state received pressure and threats because they lar conclusion with regards to the par- that support for H.R. 1151, the Credit Union are members of this independent group. liamentary and local elections in April 1997. Membership Access Act, continues to grow. The President's ruling party was given an MEDIA IS UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE GOVERN- Below are ten of the more than 100 editorials MENT; CASES CICAK, PARAGA AND OLUJIC overwhelming advantage in coverage by the from newspapers all across our nation which state-owned electronic media throughout the In the letter to the President the U.S. Con- gressmen quoted two cases, Ivan Cicak and support giving consumers the right to chose a election year. Furthermore, there is a dis- non-profit, cooperative, credit union for their fi- turbing trend over the past few years by the Dobroslav Paraga, who were charged in Au- Croatian government to use administrative gust for violating the Criminal Code by dis- nancial services. courts to replace heads of democratically seminating false information with the inten- Surveys have consistently shown that con- elected parties. The method is simple, the tion of causing political instability in the sumers strongly support the value and serv- party is registered as being headed by some- country. The Congressmen wrote in the let- ices they receive from their credit unions. That one who is favored by the ruling party. ter to President Clinton that charges were is why the Consumer Federation of America brought against these men within days of The judicial system continues to be heav- endorses H.R. 1151, the Credit Union Mem- ily influenced by the Croatian Administra- their meeting with investigators from the tion. In 1997, the Chief Justice of the Su- Hague War Crimes Tribunal to whom they bership Access Act. preme Court, Krunislaw Olujic, was dis- had turned over documentation involving al- A bipartisan group of more than 190 Mem- missed. Three members of the State Judici- legations against several high government bers from all regions of our country, and all ary Council were witnesses against him officials. U.S. lawmakers quoted some other parts of the political spectrum, are now co- while at the same time they also decided his examples of the non-democratic nature of sponsoring the Credit Union Membership Ac- fate. The OSCE reported that Olujic's dismis- the political system in the Republic of Cro- cess Act. We should pass it quickly so that atia. Media presentation of the electorial sal ``put in question the separation of powers credit unions can stop worrying about their fu- provided for by the Constitution.'' campaign during the last presidential elec- Mr. President, we believe it is well past the tion was so non-objective that the Organiza- ture and return to serving their members. time for Croatia to hold fair and free elec- tion for Security and Cooperation in Europe [From the USA Today, Mar. 4, 1998] tions based on election laws which do not (OSCE) proclaimed the election ``unfair.'' favor the ruling party over the opposition. Furthermore, there is a disturbing trend by COURTS SLAP AT CREDIT UNIONS HURTS The government should return democrat- the Croatian government to use administra- CONSUMERS ically elected leaders of Parliamentary par- tive courts to replace heads of democrat- Consumers seeking bank services want low ties who were removed by administrative ically-elected parties. Instead of the demo- costs, higher returns and convenience. Last measures. There must be multi-party control cratically-elected heads, the party is reg- week, the Supreme Court struck a blow of the election process.