This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ZAGREB 001164 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2008 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PHUM PHUM HR HRPGOV OSCE
SUBJECT: CROATIA: ELECTIONS FOR LOCAL MINORITY COUNCILS 
FAIL -- PLENTY OF BLAME TO GO AROUND 
 
REF: ZAGREB 995 
 
CLASSIFIED BY: POLOFF A.F.GODFREY FOR REASONS 1.5 (B,D) 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ZAGREB  01164  01 OF 03  231059Z 
¶1.  (C) ELECTIONS FOR CROATIA'S NEW LOCAL MINORITY COUNCILS 
WERE HELD ON MAY 18, BUT THE TURNOUT WAS SO LOW THAT THE 
ELECTIONS ARE BROADLY JUDGED TO BE A TOTAL FAILURE.  THERE IS 
ENOUGH BLAME ON ALL SIDES TO GO AROUND.  THE GOVERNMENT SET 
AN UNREALISTICALLY SHORT -- BUT LEGAL -- DEADLINE, FAILED TO 
EDUCATE POTENTIAL VOTERS ADEQUATELY AND DID NOT TAKE STEPS TO 
UPDATE A "DISASTROUSLY" OUTDATED VOTER REGISTRY.  MINORITIES 
WERE WARNED OF UPCOMING ELECTIONS WELL IN ADVANCE, BUT THOSE 
GROUPS WHICH CHOSE TO PARTICIPATE DID LITTLE TO PREPARE AND 
REMAIN DISORGANIZED.  THE OSCE MISSION IN CROATIA ISSUED A 
STATEMENT CALLING FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO HOLD REPEAT ELECTIONS 
WHERE COUNCILS WERE NOT SEATED, BUT SUCH A REPEAT ELECTION 
WOULD REQUIRE A CHANGE IN THE LAW.  THE ELECTIONS COMMISSION 
HAS DELAYED RELEASE OF THE RESULTS, BUT PRELIMINARY VOTER 
TURNOUT DATA SHOW THAT, IN SOME DISTRICTS, OBSERVERS 
OUTNUMBERED VOTERS.  THE GOVERNMENT INSISTS THAT THE 
ELECTIONS WERE LAWFUL AND THAT COUNCILS SHOULD BEGIN TO 
FUNCTION IN REGIONS WHERE ELECTIONS TOOK PLACE.  IN A MAY 21 
MEETING WITH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ANTE SIMONIC, THE 
AMBASSADOR URGED THE GOC TO ENSURE GREATER PARTICIPATION BY 
MINORITIES IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.  END SUMMARY. 
 
MAY 18 MINORITY ELECTIONS -- WHERE WERE THE VOTERS? 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶2.  (C) CROATIA'S NEW CONSTITUTIONAL LAW ON NATIONAL 
MINORITIES (CLNM) CALLED FOR ELECTIONS OF LOCAL-LEVEL 
"MINORITY COUNCILS" IN ALL MUNICIPALITIES WITH SIGNIFICANT 
ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATIONS (SEE REFTEL FOR DETAILS).  SINCE 
EACH MINORITY COMMUNITY MAY ELECT ITS OWN COUNCIL (PROVIDED 
IT MAKES UP ENOUGH OF THE TOTAL POPULATION OF A 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ZAGREB  01164  01 OF 03  231059Z 
MUNICIPALITY), FULLY 470 COUNCILS COULD HAVE BEEN ELECTED. 
140 COMMUNITIES WITH TOO FEW MINORITIES FOR A COUNCIL WERE 
ELIGIBLE TO ELECT SINGLE REPRESENTATIVES TO MAKE UP REGIONAL 
MINORITY COUNCILS. 
 
¶3.  (C) ELECTIONS WERE HELD IN LESS THAN HALF OF THE 
MUNICIPALITIES ELIGIBLE AND VOTER TURNOUT IN ALMOST ALL AREAS 
WHERE ELECTIONS WERE HELD WAS SO LOW AS TO BE LAUGHABLE.  IN 
ONE DISTRICT, ONLY THREE VOTERS TURNED OUT TO CAST BALLOTS 
FOR A FIVE-CANDIDATE LIST, A TURNOUT OF 0.13 PERCENT. 
MINORITIES BLAME THE GOVERNMENT FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO FIELD 
LISTS OF CANDIDATES IN TIME TO MEET THE SHORT DEADLINE. 
CROATIA'S ETHNIC ITALIAN LEADERS CALLED FOR A BOYCOTT OF THE 
ELECTION.  IN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, MINORITIES EITHER LACKED 
INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO REGISTER AS CANDIDATES OR WERE NOT 
ORGANIZED ENOUGH AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO PUT TOGETHER A 
CANDIDATE LIST.  IN A MAY 19 PRESS STATEMENT, THE OSCE 
MISSION IN CROATIA EXPRESSED "CONCERN" AT THE LOW VOTER 
TURNOUT AND CALLED FOR NEW ELECTIONS TO BE ORGANIZED IN 
MUNICIPALITIES WHERE THEY WERE NOT HELD. 
 
ETHNIC SERB POLITICIANS FOCUS ON RIVALRY 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) MILORAD PUPOVAC, PRESIDENT OF CROATIA'S SERB NATIONAL 
COUNCIL (AND ALSO PRESIDENT OF THE INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATIC 
SERB PARTY - SDSS), TOOK PAINS TO DESCRIBE TO US HIS 
ORGANIZATION'S EFFORTS TO REACH OUT TO LOCAL-LEVEL MINORITY 
COMMUNITIES.  HE AGREED THAT TURNOUT WAS DISMAL, BUT WOULD 
PRESS FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO CONSTITUTE COUNCILS WHERE LAWFUL 
ELECTIONS TOOK PLACE.  SINCE THE LAW PREVENTED POLITICAL 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ZAGREB  01164  01 OF 03  231059Z 
PARTIES FROM SUBMITTING CANDIDATE LISTS, PUPOVAC'S POSITION 
ON THE SERB NATIONAL COUNCIL GAVE HIM AND HIS SDSS UNIQUE 
ADVANTAGE OVER RIVAL ETHNIC SERB POLITICIANS IN CAMPAIGNING 
FOR MINORITY COUNCILS.  PUPOVAC TOLD US THAT ONE INDIRECT 
GOAL OF THE CLNM IN CREATING LOCAL COUNCILS WAS TO GIVE LOCAL 
COMMUNITIES MORE OF A VOICE IN MINORITY AFFAIRS.  HE AGREED 
THAT OUTSIDE OF A SMALL, POLITICALLY ACTIVE ELITE, MOST 
MINORITIES ARE NOT ENGAGED IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN 
CROATIA.   MILAN DUKIC, PRESIDENT OF THE SERB INDEPENDENT 
PARTY (SNS - RIVAL TO PUPOVAC' SDSS) WAS NOT ABLE TO MOBILIZE 
VOTERS TO TAKE PART IN ELECTIONS, AND SO DISPARAGED THE 
ELECTIONS AS A "CHARADE." 
 
¶5.  (C) PUPOVAC TOLD US HE RECOGNIZES THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S 
DECISION TO SET THE ELECTION DATE WAS LEGAL, BUT POINTS OUT 
THAT IT WOULD ALSO HAVE BEEN LEGAL TO SET THE DATE NEARLY A 
MONTH LATER.  FURIO RADIN, WHO REPRESENTS THE ITALIAN 
MINORITY IN PARLIAMENT AND ALSO CHAIRS ITS HUMAN RIGHTS 
COMMITTEE, DECLARED TO THE PRESS THAT THE LOW TURNOUT MADE 
THE ELECTION A "FAILURE" AND CALLED FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO 
HOLD NEW ELECTIONS WITH MORE REASONABLE LEAD TIME AND WITH 
GREATER EFFORTS TO EDUCATE POTENTIAL VOTERS.  OTHER ETHNIC 
LEADERS HAVE OPENLY SPECULATED THAT RADIN'S OPPOSITION TO 
THESE ELECTIONS HAS BEEN MOTIVATED IN PART BY HIS CONCERN 
THAT THE NEW COUNCILS COULD DISPLACE WELL-ESTABLISHED 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5738 
 
PAGE 01        ZAGREB  01164  02 OF 03  231100Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  INL-00   DODE-00 
      DOTE-00  PERC-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    FAAE-00  FBIE-00 
      VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00 
      AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   DHS-00   OPIC-01 
      PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SCT-00   SP-00 
      IRM-00   STR-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  IIP-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00 
      PRM-00   DRL-01   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00   SWCI-00    /007W 
                  ------------------6A0199  231100Z /38 
R 231042Z MAY 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0290 
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 ZAGREB 001164 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2008 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PHUM PHUM HR HRPGOV OSCE
SUBJECT: CROATIA: ELECTIONS FOR LOCAL MINORITY COUNCILS 
FAIL -- PLENTY OF BLAME TO GO AROUND 
 
ORGANIZATIONS OF CROATIA'S ETHNIC ITALIANS. 
 
NGO: POLLING PROPER, BUT VOTER REGISTERS A "DISASTER" 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶6.  (C) GONG, THE HIGHLY-REGARDED CROATIAN NGO WITH LONG 
EXPERIENCE IN MONITORING ELECTIONS IN THE REGION, SENT OUT 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ZAGREB  01164  02 OF 03  231100Z 
TEAMS OF OBSERVERS TO 48 POLLING PLACES.  WE MET WITH VLATKA 
SVEDRUZIC, WHO COORDINATED GONG'S EFFORTS AND ALSO EXECUTED A 
MODEST VOTER-INFORMATION CAMPAIGN SPONSORED BY THE OSCE 
MISSION IN CROATIA.  SVEDRUZIC SAID THAT THE CONDUCT OF THE 
POLL WAS PROPER IN ALL RESPECTS, BUT NOT ALL POLLING PLACES 
WERE OPEN.  LOCAL OFFICIALS MADE TIMELY ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT 
WHICH POLLS WOULD BE OPEN, BUT THERE WAS CONFUSION AMONG 
VOTERS NONETHELESS.  CENTRAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT TO POLLING 
PLACES WAS APPROPRIATE, AND ADEQUATE RESOURCES WERE DISBURSED 
TO COVER THE COSTS OF THE POLL.  THE BIGGEST TECHNICAL 
PROBLEM WAS OUTDATED VOTER REGISTERS WHICH SVEDRUZIC TERMED A 
"DISASTER."  DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH DISTRICTS HAD A 
SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH MINORITY COMMUNITY TO WARRANT A LOCAL 
COUNCIL WERE MADE BASED ON THE 2001 CENSUS.  BUT THIS 
INFORMATION DID NOT MATCH VOTER ROLLS, SINCE INFORMATION IN 
THE CENSUS ABOUT ETHNICITY IS CONSIDERED CONFIDENTIAL.  VOTER 
ROLLS ARE ONLY UPDATED BEFORE A MAJOR ELECTION, SVEDRUZIC 
EXPLAINED, AND THE CURRENT LISTS DATE FROM PARLIAMENTARY 
ELECTIONS IN JANUARY 2000, AND THEREFORE DO NOT INCLUDE MANY 
FORMER REFUGEES WHO HAVE RETURNED TO THEIR HOMES IN CROATIA. 
 
¶7.  (C) SVEDRUZIC DESCRIBED THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO 
EDUCATE VOTERS AS "MINIMAL."  CANDIDATE LISTS WERE PUBLISHED 
IN THE LOCAL NEWSPAPERS, AND ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT THE 
ELECTIONS WERE MADE ON THE RADIO.  GONG RAN A MODEST 
GET-OUT-THE-VOTE CAMPAIGN WITH FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM THE 
OSCE MISSION IN CROATIA.  SVEDRUZIC SAID THAT THERE WERE 
NEARLY AS MANY REASONS FOR LOW TURNOUT THERE ARE DISTINCT 
ETHNIC COMMUNITIES IN CROATIA.  SOME SERB POLITICIANS SAW THE 
ELECTION AS A CHANCE TO SCORE POINTS AGAINST THEIR RIVALS. 
CZECHS AND HUNGARIANS HAVE NO ORGANIZATION WITHIN THEIR 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        ZAGREB  01164  02 OF 03  231100Z 
ETHNIC COMMUNITIES.  ITALIANS CHOSE TO BOYCOTT.  BOSNIAKS ARE 
WELL-ORGANIZED, BUT SINCE THEY WERE ONLY DESIGNATED AS AN 
OFFICIAL "NATIONAL ETHNIC MINORITY" WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE 
CLNM IN DECEMBER, THEY HAD TO CHANGE THEIR ETHNICITY STATUS 
AT THE POLLING PLACE.  (NOTE: BOSNIAK TURNOUT WAS STRONGER 
THAN ANY OTHER MINORITY GROUP, BUT WAS STILL RELATIVELY LOW.) 
 SVEDRUZIC SAID THEY MET WITH ROMA REPRESENTATIVES, BUT 
BECAUSE SO MANY OF CROATIA'S ROMA ARE ILLITERATE, THE 
INFORMATION HANDOUTS DISTRIBUTED WOULD BE OF LIMITED USE. 
 
EXPLAINING LOW TURNOUT 
---------------------- 
 
¶8.  (C) ROMAN MESTROVIC, AN SDP MEMBER OF THE PARLIAMENT'S 
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE, TOLD US THAT HE EXPECTED THE 
GOVERNMENT WOULD TAKE THE LION'S SHARE OF THE BLAME FOR THE 
"TOTAL FAILURE" OF THE ELECTION, BUT THERE IS "PLENTY OF 
BLAME FOR ALL."  MESTROVIC BELIEVES IT WOULD BE BEST TO THROW 
OUT ALL OF THE ELECTION RESULTS.  THE MAY 18 EXERCISE SHOULD 
SERVE AS AN "EDUCATION" AND, WITH TECHNICAL CHANGES TO THE 
LAW, THE PARLIAMENT SHOULD SCHEDULE NEW ELECTIONS TO TAKE 
PLACE CONCURRENTLY WITH EITHER PARLIAMENTARY OR LOCAL 
ELECTIONS.  MATO ARLOVIC, SDP VICE PRESIDENT AND CHAIR OF THE 
PARLIAMENT'S CONSTITUTION, RULES AND POLITICAL SYSTEM 
COMMITTEE, TOLD THE PRESS THAT THE LOW TURNOUT IS ACTUALLY A 
"GOOD RESULT" FOR CROATIA, SINCE IT MEANS MANY MINORITIES ARE 
CHOOSING THE "CIVIC OPTION" OF IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES AS 
CROATIAN CITIZENS BROADLY AND NOT AS MEMBERS OF INDIVIDUAL 
ETHNIC COMMUNITIES. 
 
DEPUTY PM: POLL WAS LEGAL 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        ZAGREB  01164  02 OF 03  231100Z 
------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (C) IN A MAY 21 MEETING WITH THE AMBASSADOR, DEPUTY PRIME 
MINISTER ANTE SIMONIC AGREED THAT LOW TURNOUT WAS A PROBLEM 
AND AGREED THAT THE GOVERNMENT, IN HINDSIGHT, SHOULD HAVE 
PICKED THE LONGER TIMELINE.  HE DEFENDED THE LEGALITY OF THE 
SHORT DEADLINE, AND SAID THAT MINORITIES SHOULD SHOULDER SOME 
OF THE BLAME FOR THE ELECTIONS' FAILURE.  MINOR GOVERNMENT 
SHORTCOMINGS IN PREPARING THE POLL HAD NO EFFECT ON VOTER 
TURNOUT, ASSERTED SIMONIC, WHICH WAS MAINLY DUE TO 
OBSTRUCTION BY OR DISORGANIZATION AMONG CROATIA'S MINOIRTY 
ASSOCIATIONS.  HE SAID HIS PERSONAL VIEW IS THAT PART OF THE 
REASON FOR THE LOW TURNOUT WAS A "GENTLEMAN'S CONSPIRACY" BY 
MINORITY ORGANIZATIONS WHICH BELIEVE THEY STAND TO LOSE 
SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL SUPPORT, BOTH FROM THE STATE BUDGET 
AND, IN THE CASE OF ITALIANS, FROM ABROAD WHEN THE NEW 
COUNCILS ARE FORMED.  PM RACAN'S CABINET WOULD MEET SOON TO 
DISCUSS A WAY FORWARD ON THE ISSUE, AND HE SPECULATED THAT 
CHANGES TO THE LAW ON LOCAL ELECTIONS COULD BE PUSHED THROUGH 
TO MAKE POSSIBLE REPEAT ELECTIONS IN THOSE DISTRICTS WHERE 
THEY DID NOT TAKE PLACE.  HOWEVER, A MAY 22 GOC PRESS 
STATEMENT INSISTED THAT THE POLL WAS LEGAL, THE TURNOUT WAS 
IN THE RANGE OF WHAT IT EXPECTED, AND THAT THE RESULTS WOULD 
STAND. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ5739 
 
PAGE 01        ZAGREB  01164  03 OF 03  231100Z 
ACTION EUR-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AID-00   AMAD-00  CIAE-00  INL-00   DODE-00 
      DOTE-00  PERC-00  SRPP-00  DS-00    EB-00    FAAE-00  FBIE-00 
      VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01   L-00     VCE-00 
      AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   DHS-00   OPIC-01 
      PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SCT-00   SP-00 
      IRM-00   STR-00   TRSE-00  USIE-00  IIP-00   PMB-00   DSCC-00 
      PRM-00   DRL-01   G-00     NFAT-00  SAS-00   SWCI-00    /007W 
                  ------------------6A019B  231100Z /38 
R 231042Z MAY 03 
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0291 
INFO EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 ZAGREB 001164 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2008 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PHUM PHUM HR HRPGOV OSCE
SUBJECT: CROATIA: ELECTIONS FOR LOCAL MINORITY COUNCILS 
FAIL -- PLENTY OF BLAME TO GO AROUND 
 
AMBASSADOR: YOU NEED TO DO BETTER 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶10.  (C) THE AMBASSADOR TOLD SIMONIC HE AGREED THAT MINORITY 
LEADERS WERE FOREWARNED ABOUT THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS AND 
SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE TO PREPARE.  BUT THE GOVERNMENT COULD 
HAVE AND SHOULD HAVE SHOWN MORE GOOD WILL BY SETTING A MORE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        ZAGREB  01164  03 OF 03  231100Z 
REALISTIC ELECTION DATE.  THE AMBASSADOR URGED SIMONIC TO 
REACH OUT DIRECTLY TO MINORITIES RATHER THAN RELY ON THEIR 
CENTRAL ORGANIZATIONS TO RELAY INFORMATION FAITHFULLY. 
MINORITIES SHOULD BE EDUCATED INDIVIDUALLY ABOUT THE 
POTENTIAL BENEFITS CREATED BY THE NEW CLNM, URGED THE 
AMBASSADOR. 
MOON 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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