Dealing with the Past: in a Croatian Way

In her letters to the Prime Ministers of the Council of Europe member states in the region of the former Yugoslavia, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, recommends specific steps to be taken to deal with the violent past and move more resolutely toward social cohesion, justice and reconciliation. The Commissioner emphasises key steps to be taken which would enhance respect for victims’ rights and promote an inclusive and human rights-based approach to dealing with the past in the region.

She also shares the key findings and recommendations from her recent report ‘Dealing with the Past for a Better Future: Achieving justice, peace and social cohesion in the region of the former Yugoslavia’. In the context of the return to ethno-nationalist discourse, denial of wartime atrocities and the glorification of war criminals by political leaders and other influential societal actors, the Commissioner stresses that “dealing with the past is a pre-condition for building cohesive, democratic societies grounded in respect for human rights and the rule of law”.

Letter of Commissioner is available at: https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/commissioner-highlights-key-steps-to-better-respect-victims-rights-and-deal-with-the-past-in-former-yugoslavia-region

Reply of the Permanent Representative of RoC to the Council of Europe is available at: https://rm.coe.int/reply-of-the-permanent-representative-of-the-republic-of-croatia-to-th/1680ae7075