NOT ONLY ALBANIA WITH PROBLEMS ON CENSUS

Serb leader sees "serious irregularities" in Croat census

Source: B92

ZAGREB -- The Serb National Council in Croatia (SNV) doubts the veracity of the census results in Croatia "due to serious irregularities", says Milorad Pupovac.

Milorad Pupovac

According to the published results of last year's census, there are some 15,000 less Serbs in Croatia than was the case a decade ago.
Pupovac, who is president of SNV and MP in the Croatian parliament, told B92 that the irregularities included "suggesting to Serbs how they should declare themselves" when it comes to their ethnic and religious identity.

"We are yet to study the entire census and its results to see where and to what degree (that) could have had negative consequences," Pupovac stated, and added:

"There are justifiable reasons to believe that the irregularities, the intolerance that was felt in some areas, had led to this, and for that reason, we will withhold the right to - after an analysis - appraise to what extent the census reflects the real number of Serbs in Croatia."

According to the 1991 census, there were 581,000 ethnic Serbs in Croatia. In 2001, the number was 201,000, while the latest census reported 186,000.