VZCZCXYZ0000
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVB #0793/01 3230801
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180801Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8782

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000793 
 
SIPDIS 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/PGI, G/TIP, G-ACBlank 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KTIP PGOVKCRM KWMN PREL SMIG HR
SUBJECT: CROATIA TIP INTERIM ASSESSMENT 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: The Croatian government has continued to actively 
address the issue of trafficking in persons during 2008. The 
government has worked aggressively to increase public awareness and 
to train government employees, public officials, and NGOs in 
identification and prevention. The government has also begun work on 
amendments to Croatian law to better protect the rights of victims 
and enable harsher sentencing for convicted traffickers.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (U) In mid-2008, the GOC completed a four year EU Community 
Assistance for Reconstruction, Development, and Stabilization 
(CARDS) program entitled "Combating Trafficking in Human Beings". 
The 1 million Euro program co-funded by the Croatian government 
provided education on trafficking in persons to 314 people, 
including social workers, health care workers, police officials and 
government lawyers. 
 
¶3. U) Based on conclusions from the CARDS project, the GoC's Office 
for Human Rights sent a list of recommendations to a Ministry of 
Justice working group tasked with proposing amendments to the 
Criminal Code and Criminal procedure acts in regards to Trafficking 
in Persons. One of the amendments introduces a new mandatory 
sentencing of no less than five years if the trafficking offence was 
committed by an official in the performance of his duties or if the 
trafficker deliberately or through gross negligence endangered the 
life of the victim. Other amendments would limit the number of 
interviews a TIP victim would have to endure in order to prevent 
re-victimization. The amendments are currently awaiting approval in 
parliament. 
 
4.(U) In preparation for June's Euro Cup soccer championship the GOC 
produced and aired a nation wide television campaign warning 
Croatian fans of the increased risk of trafficking of men, women, 
and children at these events, especially in the area of prostitution 
and forced labor. The advertising campaign featured one of Croatia's 
most revered and famous sports stars urging Croatians to be aware 
and report trafficking. The campaign was aired throughout the day 
but was also shown after the nightly state news program, the most 
watched television program in Croatia. 
 
¶5. (U) In June a cooperation agreement was signed between the 
Ministry of the Interior (MOI), the Ministry of Health and Social 
Welfare, and two NGOs in order to clearly define the 
responsibilities of each signatory in regards to victim assistance. 
The agreement allows NGOs to provide primary assistance to the 
victim, places the responsibility of safe return to the country of 
origin with the MOI, and allows the Ministry of Health to be present 
during interviews of child victims and to provide child victims with 
a legal guardian. 
 
¶6. (U) In October, the Croatian Ministry for Foreign Affairs and 
European Integration and the International Organization for 
Migration (IOM) organized a one day conference entitled "The Role of 
Diplomatic Personnel in Combating Trafficking in Human Beings." The 
results of a joint capacity building project between IOM and the 
ministry were presented at the conference. The project, a key 
element of which was improving potential victim identification 
procedures, trained 17 diplomatic and consular staff who further 
trained 60 colleagues on issues related to trafficking in persons. 
Additionally, the project produced information brochures in 5 
different languages designed to help assist foreigners, visa 
seekers, Croatian travelers and potential TIP victims. The project 
also produced a handbook and curriculum for Croatia's Diplomatic 
Academy for further education on TIP issues.  As a result of the 
conference, consular officers at the Croatian Embassy in Rome have 
already produced a report which examines trends in Croatian visa 
applications from Italy and identifies key indicators that can be 
used to identify possible TIP victims. 
 
¶7. (U) The conference was followed by an outdoor information fair 
held in the heart of Zagreb on Saturday, October 18, to mark EU 
Anti-Trafficking Day. Organized by the Government's Human Rights 
Office and related NGOs, the event aimed to raise public awareness 
about the threat of TIP. In addition to information booths and 
informative leaflets there were also music and dance performances. 
 
¶8. (U) In October the Office for Human Rights organized two seminars 
on "How to Recognize the Victims of Trafficking in Persons". The 
first seminar was organized with the cooperation of an NGO from the 
Dalmatian coastal town of Sibenik and trained 30 family center 
workers. There are ten family centers in Croatia established at a 
county level by the Ministry of Family that work with local families 
and youth in areas of therapy and prevention. Workers at these 
centers include social workers, lawyers, and psychiatrists. The 
second seminar was organized with the Ministry of Tourism and 
trained 40 employees in the tourism sector on ways to identify 
trafficking victims. 
 
9.(U) In 2008 the government's Office for Human Rights provided 
287,000 kuna (USD 57,400) to fund eight projects aimed at 
suppressing TIP with NGOs throughout Croatia. The projects included 
programs aimed at educating the judiciary about trafficking in 
persons, increasing cooperation between NGOs and local authorities, 
youth education and prevention, and media awareness. 
 
¶10. (U) In September the GOC presented at an OSCE organized seminar 
for national anti-trafficking rapporteurs from participant states in 
the Alliance Against Trafficking in Persons. The Croatian government 
was invited to present their system of reporting as an example of 
comprehensive coverage and good practice for the countries of the 
region.  The goal of the seminar was to support and encourage 
participating states in the implementation of commitments to fight 
TIP, while providing a venue for exchanging information, enhancing 
dialogue, and networking among national authorities working in the 
TIP area. 
 
¶11. (U) In September, the GOC also participated in an OSCE organized 
conference on identifying ways to successfully prosecute cases of 
human trafficking. Realizing that prosecution and subsequent 
sentences for human trafficking remain low in all 56 OSCE 
participating states, the conference's aim was to enhance national 
capacities and to provide an opportunity for states to exchange 
experiences, share best practices, and identify ways to successfully 
prosecute cases of all forms of human trafficking. 
 
¶12. (U) The government reported that five trafficking victims have 
been identified this year to date. Three of the victims were male 
and all were trafficked with the intent of forced labor. The 
government also reported four final trafficking convictions in which 
the defendants were sentenced from terms ranging from one year to 20 
months. 
 
BRADTKE