April 23 (SeeNews) - Corruption remains a problem in Croatia, with a significant number of high-profile corruption cases underway in 2017, according to an annual report published by the US Department of State.
Although Croatian law provides criminal penalties for corruption by officials, and the judiciary generally implemented statutory penalties in cases in which there was a conviction, high-profile corruption convictions were frequently overturned on appeal, the 2017 Human Rights Practices report shows.
In 2017, state prosecutors continued to prosecute corruption cases, which involved local mayors, politicians, and public figures, the report reads. The most prominent was the retrial of former prime minister Ivo Sanader, after the Supreme Court in 2015 annulled his 2014 conviction on corruption charges, citing procedural errors.
In terms of discrimination, the State Department estimated that although law in Croatia prohibits discrimination against persons with physical, sensory, intellectual, and mental disabilities, the government did not always enforce these provisions effectively.
"While the law mandates access to buildings for persons with disabilities, building owners and managers did not always comply, and there were no reported sanctions," the report reads.
Moreover, discrimination against minorities was present in 2017.
"The November ombudsman’s report noted that ethnic discrimination, particularly against the Serb and Romani minorities, dominated unequal treatment complaints in 2016", it added.
Discrimination against the LGBTI community also remained in 2017, with reports suggesting that members of the community had limited access to justice, with many reluctant to report violations of their rights due to concerns regarding an inefficient judicial system and fear of further victimization during trial proceedings.
Discrimination in employment or occupation also occurred with regard to gender, disability, sexual orientation, HIV-positive status, and ethnicity, particularly for Roma, the report found.
"According to the ombudsman for gender equality, women experienced discrimination in employment, including in pay and promotion to managerial and executive positions," the State Department said.
In addition, salaries were much lower in occupations filled mostly by women, while men more often filled higher-paying management positions.
The State Department noted that Croatia's biggest issues in 2017 also included restrictions on expression and the press, including violence against journalists.
It commended the government, however, for taking significant steps to prosecute and punish individuals who committed abuses of human rights.