Slovenia's "erased" citizens set to file new complaints

LJUBLJANA The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg will receive new complaints filed against Slovenia, in the case of the so-called "erased" citizens. The country is facing further legal action against it for allegedly failing to prepare a program of compensation. Slovenia's "erased" citizens set to file new complaints The European Court has previously asked Slovenia to, within a legal deadline, prepare a compensation program for the persons which this EU member had erased from the list of its citizens after becoming independent in the early 1990s. The Italian law firm Lana, which represents the plaintiffs, acted on behalf of 645 people and already in June and July filed a number of complaints against Slovenia to the highest European judicial authority. On February 22, 1992 Slovenia erased from the register of permanent residents 25,671 persons, which, as judged by the European Court, violated their human rights. Of this number, about one half in the meantime managed to regulate their status. Representative of the Slovenian Ministry of Internal Affairs Mirjana Gotal said that the country's government in July adopted a draft law on compensations and sent it to parliament, which is expected to consider it at the next sitting in September. She told the Ljubljana daily Delo that the European Parliament committee in charge of supervising the judgment of the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg will review the case Kuric, et al. v. Slovenia. According to the proposed bill, the "erased" were offered compensation of EUR 30 for each month that they spent having unsolved citizenship status. After talks with Interior Minister Gregor Virant this figure was increased to EUR 40, but the plaintiffs did not accept it, and instead wish the number to be equal to the monthly social benefits given in Slovenia at the time. A view of Ljubljana (Beta/AP, file) Beta

Slovenia's "erased" citizens set to file new complaints

The European Court has previously asked Slovenia to, within a legal deadline, prepare a compensation program for the persons which this EU member had erased from the list of its citizens after becoming independent in the early 1990s.

The Italian law firm Lana, which represents the plaintiffs, acted on behalf of 645 people and already in June and July filed a number of complaints against Slovenia to the highest European judicial authority.

On February 22, 1992 Slovenia erased from the register of permanent residents 25,671 persons, which, as judged by the European Court, violated their human rights. Of this number, about one half in the meantime managed to regulate their status.

Representative of the Slovenian Ministry of Internal Affairs Mirjana Gotal said that the country's government in July adopted a draft law on compensations and sent it to parliament, which is expected to consider it at the next sitting in September.

She told the Ljubljana daily Delo that the European Parliament committee in charge of supervising the judgment of the Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg will review the case Kurić, et al. v. Slovenia.

According to the proposed bill, the "erased" were offered compensation of EUR 30 for each month that they spent having unsolved citizenship status.

After talks with Interior Minister Gregor Virant this figure was increased to EUR 40, but the plaintiffs did not accept it, and instead wish the number to be equal to the monthly social benefits given in Slovenia at the time.