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Macedonian police and media attackedPARIS, France -- Macedonia's ethnic tensions are being fuelled by insensitive policing and media treatment, according to a Council of Europe watchdog. The European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance said the practice against the country's minority groups was widespread and required "urgent attention." It said the police mistreat ethnic Albanians and gypsies and found that "media coverage of sensitive events tends to be one-sided and overly subjective, fuelling tensions in inter-ethnic relations." The Commission's findings were completed last June, before the start of the current wave of violence. But publication was delayed to give the Macedonian government time to comment on its findings.
The report accepted that efforts were being made by the Macedonian government to address the issues raised. These included plans to reform citizenship laws and ratify international treaties combating racism and intolerance. However, progress in other areas was slow because of a lack of anti-discrimination legislation in areas of employment, housing and social services. As a result, "unlawful arrest and detention, excessive use of force and physical ill-treatment of detainees" remained a problem, the report said. Similarly, there was an attempt to increase minority representation in public institutions. But different ethnic groups "still lead parallel existences...and their relations are strained by negative stereotypes and mistrust." Reuters contributed to this report. RELATED STORIES:
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