to Croatia to timely and efficiently address the security incidents for individuals from minority
groups which are sporadically reported by investigating, prosecuting and documenting
ethically based incidents.
i) Discrimination against Roma returnees
The National Strategy for Roma Inclusion 2013-202022 and its Action Plan provide a solid
basis for regularization of undocumented Roma population. The Foreigner’s Act provides
relaxed provisions including mitigating changes in process of approving residence for
foreigners thus facilitating access to documentation through the following key improvements:
the ownership certificate (title deeds) of the property at which address beneficiary is applying
is no longer required as one of the conditions for temporary and permanent residences; proof
of medical insurance is no longer a prerequisite for residency; any debt incurred with the State
Tax Administration Office regarding health insurance fees is no longer an obstacle in resolving
status issues of beneficiaries; and provisions have been relaxed for residency based on
humanitarian reasons. For the benefit of a certain number of Roma returnees who are either
stateless or at risk of statelessness, the Government should ensure the protection of their rights
and establish statelessness determination procedures. The exact number of stateless Roma
returnees as well as well as of that Roma who are at risk of statelessness is not known.
The recently adopted Operational Program for Roma National Minority includes revision of
the National Strategy for Inclusion of Roma. The Operational Plan also includes employment,
education, housing care and civic engagement and thus provides sound basis for systematic
and comprehensive framework for the full acknowledgment of the rights of Roma.
UNHCR commends the efforts of the Croatian Government to introduce effective measures to
protect the Roma minority and calls for concrete and tangible implementation mechanisms.
UNHCR recommends that the Government of Croatia addresses and resolves remaining
obstacles facing Roma returnees, such as limited access to free legal aid, lack of registration
of children’s births or residence, non-possession of identity documents, and high
administrative fees.
UNHCR recommends that the Government conducts a comprehensive mapping exercise to
obtain reliable data on stateless Roma and Roma at risk of statelessness and assists the persons
in need.
UNHCR further recommends that the Government establishes a statelessness determination
procedure to identify persons who are stateless and to ensure protection of their rights, and,
22
National Strategy for Roma Inclusion, 2013-2020, availalbe at:
https://pravamanjina.gov.hr/UserDocsImages/arhiva/23102013/National%20Roma%20inclusion%20strategy%2
02013-2020.eng.pdf.
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