Experts of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Welcome Croatia’s Anti-Discrimination Measures, Raise Issues Concerning Reported Exploitation of Migrant Workers and the Social Benefit Scheme
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights today concluded its review of the second periodic report of Croatia under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, with Committee Experts commending the State’s law and national action plan against discrimination, and raising issues concerning reported exploitation of migrant workers and the social benefit scheme.
Karla Vanessa Lemus de Vásquez, Committee Expert and Lead Member of the Taskforce on Croatia, welcomed Croatia’s law against discrimination and the national action plan on combatting discrimination and protecting human rights.
Joo-Young Lee, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce on Croatia, said migrant workers in Croatia were particularly vulnerable to poor working conditions, including non-payment for work, and failure to provide breaks or employment contracts. What measures had been taken to address labour exploitation of migrant workers?
Ms. Lee also cited reports that social assistance benefits were inadequate and often not sufficient to cover the cost of living. What measures had the State party taken to address this? Why had the number of beneficiaries decreased recently, and why did some regions require recipients of benefits to participate in community service?
Ivan Vidiš, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy of Croatia and head of the delegation, introducing the report, said that the State party was proud of the reforms underway in Croatia. In early 2023, Croatia joined the Schengen area, and the euro was introduced as a national currency.
Mr. Vidiš said the National Plan for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination for the period up to 2027 was adopted to ensure coordinated action by State administration bodies in the field of human rights protection and anti-discrimination, and to raise awareness of equality.
On protections for migrant workers, Mr. Vidiš said labour legislation provided for third-country nationals legally working in Croatia to have the same rights as national workers, and the new Act on Combatting Undeclared Work obliged the employer to pay six months of salary to unregistered workers as well as a fine.
On the social benefit scheme, the delegation said the number of recipients of the guaranteed minimum benefit had been dropping recently, in line with the reduction in unemployment. The benefit had been increased three times in recent years, and the State party had developed a new Social Welfare Act that would increase the minimum social benefit. The Act would also allow for persons to be excused from community service activities if they were unable to participate.
In concluding remarks, Ms. Lemus de Vásquez thanked the delegation for the information shared, which provided insight into the progress achieved and measures planned to give effect to the Covenant in Croatia. The Committee’s aim was to ensure the full realisation of economic, social and cultural rights for all persons in Croatia.
Mr. Vidiš, in his concluding remarks, said Croatia was passionate about its work, open about its challenges, and determined to address them. Economic, social and cultural rights were the cornerstone of the State party’s efforts. Mr. Vidiš thanked the Committee for its constructive approach to the dialogue.
In her concluding remarks, Laura-Maria Craciunean-Tatu, Committee Chair, thanked the delegation for the open and constructive way in which it had participated in the dialogue. The Committee hoped that Croatia would address the Committee’s forthcoming recommendations with a constructive spirit.
The delegation of Croatia was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy; Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction and State Property; Ministry of Science, Education and Youth; Office for Human Rights and Rights of National Minorities; Ministry of Finance; Croatian Employment Service; Ministry of the Interior; Ministry of Health; Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition; Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs; Ministry of Justice, Public Administration and Digital Transformation; and the Permanent Mission of Croatia to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
The Committee’s seventy-seventh session is being held until 28 February 2025. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Webcasts of the meetings of the session can be found here, and meetings summaries can be found here.
The Committee will next meet in public at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, 12 February to begin its consideration of the fifth periodic report of Peru (E/C.12/PER/5).
Report
The Committee has before it the second periodic report of Croatia (E/C.12/HRV/2).
Presentation of Report
IVAN VIDIŠ, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy of Croatia and head of the delegation, said that the State party was proud of the reforms underway in Croatia. In early 2023, Croatia joined the Schengen area, and the euro was introduced as a national currency. As part of the European Economic Area, Croatia was exposed to inflationary developments caused the pandemic and then the war in Ukraine. The Government intervened to a limited extent in energy prices and provided seven aid packages, all with the aim of protecting particularly vulnerable population groups.
The National Plan for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination for the period up to 2027 was adopted to ensure coordinated action by State administration bodies in the field of human rights protection and anti-discrimination, and to raise awareness of equality.
The State party had implemented a series of measures to strengthen workers’ rights. The new Act on Combatting Undeclared Workers provided strict measures for employers who did not declare workers, including giving such workers the right to be registered and receive pay, pension and health insurance for the last six months, and foreign workers had access to the same protections as national workers. Active employment policy measures had resulted in a historically low number of unemployed people. Unemployment benefits had been increased and amendments had also been made to the labour legislation, laying down provisions on work through digital labour platforms and limiting the use of fixed-term contracts.
In 2024, the salaries of civil servants and public service employees financed from the State budget were reformed towards a more transparent and fairer system. The remuneration system for judges and prosecutors had also been revised to ensure that they could work smoothly and independently. The minimum wage was constantly increasing and had almost doubled compared to 2019.
To promote the social inclusion of vulnerable groups, the Government had provided increased rights and coverage for these groups in the Social Welfare Act and adopted the inclusive benefit, which significantly improved living standards. Further, the State party had implemented measures to support elderly people.
A new national plan for protection against violence against women and domestic violence, covering the period up to 2028, was under development. As part of this plan, in 2024, a package of regulations dedicated to combatting violence against women and domestic violence entered into force, which included amendments to the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, and the Act on Protection from Domestic Violence. The legislative package tightened sentencing and strengthened protective measures for victims. The revised Criminal Code introduced a definition of “gender-based violence against women” that was in line with the Istanbul Convention and a new criminal offence of femicide.
There were 123,000 foreign workers in Croatia. The State party had introduced legislation to combat undeclared work, and existing labour legislation provided for third-country nationals legally working in Croatia to have the same rights as national workers.
After the 2020 earthquakes, many public facilities had been renovated, and multi-dwelling buildings and family replacement houses were being built. To ensure the availability of housing, especially for young families, Croatia’s first national housing policy plan up to 2030 had been drawn up. At the end of 2024, the Government adopted a programme for the construction and renovation of housing units in assisted areas to help young people and families access housing and to encourage population growth in these areas.
Significant measures had also been taken over the last three years to strengthen the free legal aid system. A call for funding for projects to provide primary legal aid was launched for a three-year period from 2023 to 2025. Funding for projects increased by 100 per cent in 2023.
Croatia expressed its strong commitment to the realisation of the human rights enshrined in the Covenant, demonstrated by its achievement of a high level of human rights protection.
Questions by a Committee Expert
KARLA VANESSA LEMUS DE VÁSQUEZ, Committee Expert, Country Rapporteur and Lead Member of the Taskforce on Croatia, asked about the number of cases in which the Covenant was invoked in domestic courts. What was the domestic legal status of the treaty bodies’ observations? Did Croatia plan to adopt the Optional Protocol? How had the legislature and civil society participated in implementing the Committee’s previous concluding observations and in drafting the State party’s reports? Did the State party have a national follow-up mechanism to coordinate follow-up activities?
Croatia had great potential, considering its location, resources and human capital. However, the State party was reportedly overdependent on the tourism industry, which hampered the productivity of businesses. What measures were in place to increase the productivity of the private sector and reduce dependence on tourism? Were there measures in place to build workers’ capacities?
Croatia did not have a national action plan on business and human rights and due diligence regulations were not sufficient. What measures had the State party implemented to transpose the European Union directive on due diligence into national law? What measures were in place to ensure due diligence in the private sector and to help victims of human rights violations to access justice?
Croatia had received low grades in greenhouse gas emissions, energy usage, and climate policy in a recent review. Would Croatia be able to meet its climate commitments for 2030 and 2050? What were the main challenges in this regard? How would the State party rapidly cut greenhouse gas emissions? What plans were in place to eradicate subsidies for fossil fuels and to reallocate funds to renewable energy?
Official development assistance represented 0.2 per cent of gross domestic product, well below the 0.7 per cent recommended by the United Nations. Were there plans to increase the budget allocated to such assistance in the next few years?
The Committee welcomed the law against discrimination and the national action plan on combatting discrimination and protecting human rights. Had the 2024 and 2025 plans been implemented and to what extent?
The Roma had been facing discrimination regarding access to housing and healthcare in Croatia. What progress had been made in combatting hate crimes against the Roma and in implementing the national action plan on inclusion of the Roma? What measures were in place to address the gender gap in participation in the labour market and to combat stereotypes against women in the private sector? Were there any wage equality measures in place?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said Croatia had one of the highest growth rates for gross domestic product in the European Union, at 3.6 per cent. The State party had been using European Union funds to increase skills for around 140,000 citizens. Judicial experts and judges had received training on the Covenant. Croatia was working to continuously train public officers on human rights, particularly the rights of the Roma and vulnerable women and girls.
Discussion on signing the Optional Protocol was ongoing, with public consultations being carried out. If stakeholders found that the Optional Protocol was relevant to Croatia, the State party would launch ratification procedures.
Croatia had working groups for developing legislation that included experts from line ministries and civil society representatives. Analyses were carried out to determine areas where legislation needed to be aligned with international law and the recommendations of treaty bodies.
Croatia had a strong tourism industry due to its location and natural and cultural heritage. The Government was promoting sustainable tourism, implementing accommodation and environmental policies to regulate development in the sector. There were around 270,000 pieces of property used for short-term renting to tourists. New regulations addressed this, encouraging owners to provide long-term rental schemes and permanent housing.
The State party was working on reforming vocational training to increase its availability, quality and relevance, and reduce school dropouts. A new modular curriculum had been developed to allow students to engage in work experience activities.
The new national action plan on the inclusion of the Roma covered the period of 2021 to 2027. Around 57 per cent of financing programmes were in the education field. The Government was also working on policies promoting access to healthcare and improved quality of life for the Roma population.
Croatia was a part of the European Union’s ambitious climate policy, which aimed to make Europe climate neutral by 2050. Under this policy, Croatia was working to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. The national strategy on low carbon development and the national energy and climate plan had been developed to guide efforts to achieve climate objectives. The plan included a measure for gradually abolishing subsidies for fossil fuels. The State party had been monitoring national emissions using a database on emissions.
Croatia’s gender employment gap, at 11.4 per cent, was lower than the European Union average. Wage transparency policies were helping the State to achieve equal pay for equal work. Measures had been developed to support access to employment for women in rural areas and women over the age of 50.
There had been a spike in hate crimes following the increase in foreign workers in the State party. To combat this, the Government had developed educational measures to promote the integration of foreign workers in society.
Croatia was this year preparing to transpose the European Union directive on due diligence. The national action plan on responsible businesses, which was being drafted by experts, aimed to support the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on measures implemented to bolster the capacity of the Ombudswoman’s office to ensure that it could carry out its mandate; the composition of bodies monitoring the implementation of treaty body recommendations; plans to address challenges related to disparities in regional development; the legal status of the Covenant in domestic legislation; measures to address unequal distribution of free legal aid services across the country; plans to broaden awareness raising activities on economic, social and cultural rights; and whether the State party planned to draft national action plans on human rights protections.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that in Croatia, the Covenant had legal status and was directly applicable. Public tender was provided to legal clinics to facilitate the provision of free legal aid across the State. Funds for free legal aid were increased by 100 per cent in 2023 and by a further 30 per cent in 2024. Transport fees were paid by the State when persons needed to travel more than 60 kilometres to attend courts.
The salary system for the civil service had been reformed, including salaries for staff of the Ombudswoman’s Office. On average, salaries for civil servants had been increased by around 30 per cent. The budget for the Office had increased gradually since 2022.
The Ministry of Labour, Pension System and Social Policy had a special service coordinating the implementation of the Covenant and other international documents. Policies related to implementation were discussed with representatives of trade unions and civil society.
The Federal Government was pursuing fiscal decentralisation and providing local and regional governments with funding to be used in regional development projects. It sought to address gaps between less and more developed regions.
The Social Housing Fund encouraged the population to live and work in rural areas, and a new programme on the construction of housing for young people focused on housing developments in rural areas.
The new national action plan on human rights had been prepared but was currently being discussed in the Government. The former plan was still in force. National action plans on combatting trafficking in persons, promoting the inclusion of the Roma, and fighting discrimination were also being implemented.
Questions by a Committee Expert
JOO-YOUNG LEE, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Croatia, said that the State party had implemented employment policy measures focusing on the integration of vulnerable people into the labour market. What impact had those measures had? What was the trend in rates of young people who were not in employment, education or training over the last five years?
What measures were in place to address the discrimination and prejudice faced by Roma persons in the workplace? The disability employment gap was around 23 per cent as of 2023, related to a lack of reasonable accommodation measures. How was the State party promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the workplace?
The Committee noted legislation addressing unregistered, unpaid and precarious work, but such work remained prevalent in the State party. Migrant workers were particularly vulnerable to poor working conditions, including non-payment for work, and failure to provide breaks or employment contracts. What were the root causes of labour exploitation of migrant workers and what measures had been taken to address them? How was the State party working to improve the capacity of public officials to uphold migrant workers’ rights and impose appropriate sanctions on persons who violated those rights?
Social assistance benefits were reportedly inadequate and often not sufficient to cover the cost of living. What measures had the State party taken to address this? Why had the number of beneficiaries decreased recently? What budget had been devoted to social benefits in the last five years? What measures had been implemented to improve social services for persons with disabilities, older persons, and persons living in rural areas?
The “at risk of poverty” rate was around 42 per cent in Croatia. This was reportedly due to strict requirements limiting access to unemployment benefits. How did the State party ensure that unemployed persons did not fall into poverty?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the State party provided educational and training support to unemployed persons. Several hundreds of persons had found employment through the Government’s on-the-job training programme.
Legislative changes and State-funded support centres had led to an increase in the registration of persons with disabilities and their inclusion in the labour market. The unemployment rate for persons with disabilities was currently at a record low level. The Government financed up to two-thirds of the salaries of persons with disabilities, including self-employed persons, and financed the adaption of workplaces to the needs of persons with disabilities. The employment rate of persons with disabilities had increased by 70 per cent in recent years.
The new Act on Combatting Undeclared Work obliged the employer to pay six months of salary to unregistered workers as well as a fine of 2,600 euros. There was a public register of employers that had employed unregistered workers.
The Government also had a register of persons who were not in employment, education or training. It was planning programmes to involve these persons in education or the labour market. Only 13 per cent of young people were currently unemployed, down from a historic high of around 50 per cent. Croatia had removed many restrictions related to accessing unemployment benefits.
Foreign workers received materials informing them of their rights to State services, including health care, unemployment benefits and complaints mechanisms. The Government supported foreign workers to learn the Croatian language.
The guaranteed minimum benefit was provided to persons who did not have basic sustenance. More than 40,000 persons received this benefit. The number of recipients had been dropping in recent years, in line with the reduction in unemployment. The benefit had been increased three times in recent years, and there were plans to increase it further, along with other benefits. The Government was working to amend the Social Welfare Act to increase the base payment for single parents and their children by 25 per cent. The national allowance for the elderly provided support to persons who did not have sufficient pensions. The Government was strengthening the capacities of institutions to monitor poverty and better combat it.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
JOO-YOUNG LEE, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Croatia, said it was welcome that the Act on Foreigner Workers would be amended and that the basic social benefit had increased.
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on the assessment of measures for housing provided to foreign workers; the methodology used to assess citizens’ risk of poverty; why some regions required recipients of benefits to participate in community service; the timeframe in which the minimum wage had increased and whether it covered the cost of living; whether rules regarding the renewal of temporary work contracts led to unemployment; measures being taken to promote entrepreneurship; the nationalities of migrant workers in the State party; and policies being implemented to enable women to enter the labour market and promote sharing of domestic work tasks.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said there were clear criteria in place regarding the accommodation of foreign workers. The Government was working with the embassies of foreign countries to inform migrant workers about their rights.
The percentage of persons at risk of poverty had not increased in recent years. The State party had developed a new Social Welfare Act that would increase the minimum social benefit and would allow for persons to be excused from community service activities if they were unable to participate. Community service often helped unemployed persons to enter the labour market.
Around two per cent of workers received the minimum wage. The Government had worked to ensure that all workers in vulnerable sectors such as manufacturing received at least the minimum wage. The nominal minimum wage had been increased by 130 per cent between 2016 and 2025. The real increase, taking inflation into account, was around 70 per cent. The minimum wage was calculated considering other benefits being received.
There were around 6,000 self-employed persons receiving State benefits. Most benefits were provided in the food and construction industries.
The State was developing a law to promote women’s return to work after childbirth. It was financing the construction of kindergartens and schools and providing parental leave for fathers, which more than 60 per cent of fathers were taking.
Questions by a Committee Expert
ASRAF ALLY CAUNHYE Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Croatia, said the escalation of violence against women in recent years in the State party was of great concern. What measures were in place to provide support for victims, particularly women with disabilities? How was the State party preventing the abuse of women with disabilities in institutions and addressing harmful practices affecting Roma women and children? What measures were in place to prevent all forms of trafficking in persons, identify victims, prevent reprisals against victims after they reported offences, and ensure that penalties for trafficking were commensurate with the seriousness of offences? How was the State party addressing the effects of inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic on vulnerable persons?
Croatia did not have a needs-based housing policy or an effective strategy for addressing homelessness. Approximately 6.5 per cent per cent of the population did not have access to the water supply network and many of the Roma lived in poor housing conditions. What measures were in place to improve access to housing and housing conditions for vulnerable persons, prevent evictions of the Roma, and tackle homelessness?
Some people in remote areas, particularly the Roma, had limited access to health services. There was a shortage in healthcare staff in rural areas and long waiting lists for specialised care. What measures were in place to provide timely access to quality healthcare in remote areas and to reduce waiting lists? How would the State party promote access to healthcare for asylum seekers and persons with disabilities? What steps had been taken to promote access to safe abortions when mothers’ lives were at risk? What resources had been allocated to setting up mobile health teams and community mental health care services, and to combatting the high suicide rate?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the national action plan on social services aimed to facilitate access to these services, secure a better regional distribution of services, including services for the elderly, and promote deinstitutionalisation and foster care. Payments to foster families had been increased and media campaigns had been carried out to highlight their importance. The act on personal assistance of 2023 regulated the recruitment of personal assistants for persons with disabilities. Over 5,000 assistants were currently employed, and the Government was working to recruit more.
The Government was conducting roundtables and workshops with employers to encourage the increased employment of the Roma and other vulnerable groups. Career management centres were being established in every region of the State to support their access to employment.
Croatia had issues with affordable housing, influenced by the war in Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, and inflation. Consultations were being carried out on a national housing plan, which would be adopted soon. Under the plan, settlement of vulnerable and young persons and settlement in underdeveloped areas would be encouraged. Croatia had a shortage of around 270,000 residential units compared to demand. There were also around 50,000 unused residential units; the Government planned to adopt legislation to allow the State to take over empty units and provide them to vulnerable persons. New laws would make it possible to build more affordable housing and expand land allocated for affordable housing. The procedure for obtaining permits for building family homes would soon be simplified.
The State party provided housing for victims of domestic violence and was also building family homes for the Roma community in rural areas. Housing had also been provided for persons under international protection, and for persons whose homes were destroyed in earthquakes. The State had also provided accommodation for over 600 homeless persons. Large cities and counties provided food to homeless persons through social kitchens.
Croatia had amended the Act on Water, which enhanced access to water for vulnerable groups. Local government units were obliged to provide water for human use and to install wells in public spaces. The State was investing heavily in the water distribution network to improve the quality and availability of water.
The Government had provided seven different support packages to reduce the prices of energy, food, fuel and gas. As a result, Croatia had the lowest energy prices in the European Union. Some 70 retail products had also been subsidised by the State to protect vulnerable groups, and cash supports had been provided for more than 700,000 retirees.
The Government was working to improve the legislative framework against gender-based violence. Gender-based violence was treated as an aggravating circumstance in the Criminal Code, and Croatia was one of the first countries in Europe to make femicide a stand-alone crime. The law against family violence had also been amended to increase sanctions for perpetrators and support for victims. Victims were examined via video-link unless they insisted on being in the courtroom. Training on gender-based violence was provided for judges, prosecutors and police officers.
A new national action plan on the prevention of sexual violence was currently being developed. Twenty-six shelters were available for victims of sexual and gender-based violence in all territories of the State. Ten million euros had been devoted to financing these shelters. A new media campaign was being carried out on preventing violence against women.
To increase access to primary healthcare, a new healthcare service network had been established that included mobile medical and psychiatric healthcare teams. These teams covered a wide geographical area and included emergency helicopter and maritime services. The Government had also increased the availability of telehealth services. Each county had at least one hospital. Croatia was close to the European Union average for the number of doctors per 100,000 inhabitants and the number of doctors was increasing. The Government provided funds for residencies for young doctors.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
One Committee Expert welcomed indicators developed by the State party on measuring poverty, while another praised the State party’s various initiatives promoting access to housing.
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on progress in the implementation of the national strategy on reducing drug-related harm; measures to prevent house demolition and forced evictions of vulnerable groups, and remedies provided to affected persons; statistics on homelessness and the average period of stay in shelters; whether takeovers of unused units were temporary or permanent, and whether the Government planned to pay compensation to owners; how the State responded when people could not afford to pay utility bills or their mortgage; measures to prevent the discriminatory effects of reporting obligations required to receive health insurance; and plans to update poverty indicators from a multidimensional lens.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that in 2023, the Government adopted the national strategy on addiction, which aimed to reduce harms and risks related to addiction. Every year, it implemented over 300 intervention programmes related to addiction. The Government primarily rehabilitated adults in the social welfare system, but some addicts were in the prison system. Non-governmental organizations provided counselling and intervention services for addicts. Around one-third of addicts in treatment were women. The Government was developing measures to support women addicts and provide social housing for them.
Under State guidelines on the provision of abortions, patients could demand terminations of pregnancy in all hospitals in the State. In cases of conscientious objection from doctors, patients were referred to other doctors or institutions.
The act on compulsory health insurance provided the right to healthcare for persons under international protection and asylum seekers and their family members, as well as unaccompanied minors. Many citizens who lived abroad used free telehealth services in Croatia, abusing the system. This was why the obligation of reporting to authorities once every three months to obtain health insurance had been introduced.
Croatia had adopted a strategy framework on the development of mental healthcare, which aimed to reduce the suicide rate and improve the mental health of children and workers in particular.
Courts applied the caselaw of the European Court of Human Rights regarding evictions, so it was very difficult to forcefully evict people from their homes. The Government was increasing fiscal pressures on unused properties and implementing measures that made long-term rent more beneficial for owners than short-term rent. The State would also rent and sublet private unused apartments at a reduced price; it would not forcefully take these properties away from owners. A new property tax had been developed to replace taxation on vacation homes. All properties used for long-term rent were excluded from the tax.
It was difficult to count homeless people who had not approached relevant service providers. Homeless persons could receive personal identification documents by registering at a local institute for social welfare. The Government was empowering homeless persons to gain employment.
Questions by a Committee Expert
ASLAN ABASHIDZE, Committee Expert and Member of the Taskforce for Croatia, asked for disaggregated data on school enrolment, completion and dropout rates at primary and secondary levels for the last 10 years. Which ethnic groups had high dropout rates? What progress had been made in promoting the inclusion of the Roma in the education system? All children, including Roma children, needed to attend preschool education. Who was responsible on collecting data on Roma children who were eligible to attend preschool? How many Roma children had attended preschool over the past five years and how many had progressed to primary and secondary education?
What measures were in place to ensure that refugees and migrants had access to quality Croatian language courses and higher education? Had a new programme been adopted to support these groups in 2025? Were there specific measures to support Serbian children’s education? There were reports of vandalism targeting Serbian monuments and Orthodox churches. Had these incidents been investigated and violators held responsible? How would the Government ensure that such violence did not occur in the future?
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said the dropout rate in Croatia was around two per cent, which was around the lowest rate in the European Union. There was a system that monitored students, but it did not record the national affiliation of students. Data on Roma students had been gathered since 2008, however. This data informed the Government’s activities for Roma students. Around 70 per cent of Roma students attended secondary school; this was lower than the national average. The national action plan on the inclusion of the Roma included activities encouraging education for Roma children, including scholarships for Roma pupils in secondary schools. Annually, between 50 and 100 Roma children dropout out of school. The number of Roma university students receiving scholarships had increased in recent years. “Roma assistants” were employed in primary schools to support Roma children. On average, around 400 Roma children were enrolled in kindergartens each year. Local governments funded kindergarten education for Roma children.
One year of preschool education was mandatory for all pupils. The Government funded preschool programmes for each child. Over the next three years, it would invest around 200 million euros in this public service. Croatian language courses were provided to all students who did not speak Croatian, starting from primary level.
Vandalism based on ethnicity was treated as a form of discrimination and a hate crime, and was punished with a harsher sentence. The State party was cooperating with civil society organizations representing ethnic groups to prevent such incidents and bring perpetrators to justice.
The Ministry of Culture and Media had secured funds to support the needs of national minorities. Funds were being devoted to cultural associations, libraries and there were other measures of protecting the cultural heritage of minorities. Public broadcasters were required to devote a portion of broadcasts to programmes for national minorities. The Government also helped fund the cultural activities of persons with disabilities.
Follow-Up Questions by Committee Experts
Committee Experts asked follow-up questions on whether foreign students received free higher education; the number of foreign students in the State; steps taken to enhance inclusive education for persons with disabilities; whether indexation was used to calculate social assistance benefits; whether trade union rights were adequately granted to all workers, including police and military personnel; measures implemented to encourage reporting of racial discrimination offences and prevent such discrimination; the delegation’s response to reports of insufficient funding and will from authorities to address hate-related crimes; and statistics on crimes against Serbians.
Responses by the Delegation
The delegation said that in 2024, there were 531 foreign students enrolled in Croatian universities. The Government had adopted guidelines on supporting children with disabilities, who were entitled to specially trained teaching assistants.
Croatia used automatic indexation to calculate elderly benefits and pensions, based on cost-of-living indicators. There was no index system for the guaranteed minimum benefit, which was increased once per year by the Government, considering various factors. A project had been launched to better monitor poverty rates through the Central Population Register, which would be established this year.
Trade unions in Croatia could create their own networks, participate in the drafting of legislation and national policies, and participate in parliamentary debates. The Government was drafting an action plan to encourage all employers to conclude collective agreements. The scope of certain collective agreements was extended by the State to prevent unfair competition or restrictions on workers’ rights. Only active military personnel were restricted from forming trade unions in line with existing legislation; police officers could form and join unions. Property used by trade unions was formerly owned by the State, but legislation that entered into force last week transferred ownership to a trade union fund.
In 2023, the State party recorded 61 hate crimes against ethnic minorities. This was a decrease from the 67 crimes reported in 2021. Authorities needed to consider these as serious offences and respond appropriately. The judicial academy provided training for judges and judicial workers on the prohibition of discrimination, hate crimes and hate speech, including anti-Semitism. Thirteen workshops would be held in 2025. Police officers were also involved in workshops on preventing anti-Semitism, hate speech and all forms of discrimination.
Closing Remarks
KARLA VANESSA LEMUS DE VÁSQUEZ, Committee Expert, Country Rapporteur and Lead Member of the Taskforce on Croatia, thanked the delegation for the information shared, which provided insight into the progress achieved and measures planned to give effect to the Covenant in Croatia. The Committee’s aim was to ensure the full realisation of economic, social and cultural rights for all persons in Croatia. She thanked all persons who had contributed to the successful dialogue.
IVAN VIDIŠ, State Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy of Croatia and head of the delegation, said Croatia was making every effort to make progress. The State party was passionate about its work, open about its challenges, and determined to address them. Croatia had faced aggression in its past, and the Committee needed to consider the difficult path the country had travelled. Economic, social and cultural rights were the cornerstone of the State party’s efforts. The cost-of-living crisis was a major concern currently, but the State party’s measures supporting energy and other costs had lightened the burden for residents. Croatia was facing a demographic decline, but incentives were in place to support a reversal of demographic trends. Parliament had recently agreed on a declaration regarding the rights of older people, who made up an increasingly large portion of the population. Mr. Vidiš thanked the Committee for its constructive approach to the dialogue.
LAURA-MARIA CRACIUNEAN-TATU, Committee Chair, thanked the delegation for the open and constructive way in which it had participated in the dialogue. The dialogue with Croatia would continue, as the Committee would select three follow-up recommendations that it called on the State party to address within 24 months. It hoped that Croatia would continue to address the Committee’s recommendations with a constructive spirit.
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