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The office of the High Commissioner on National Minorities, body of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, published at the end of 2008 a set of recommendations dealing with the rights of national minorities in inter-state relations. In this paper circumstances related to the origins of Bolzano/Bozen Recommendations are analysed, subsequently the paper presents the content of the Recommendations, and finally, the paper analyses to what extent the Recommendations have been reflected in minority-related legislation and policies of Croatia and several neighbouring countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is the result of an action-oriented empirical research about the role, development and achievements of foundations n Croatia. As a background for empirical research, the secondary sources were analysed, as well as the results of previous research studies on the development of foundations in Croatia. The theoretical analytical framework of the development of foundations in Croatia is connected with the contemporary typology of the role of foundations and the social model of the development of foundations. This paper also outlines the developmental problems and achievements of foundations in some transitional countries. The aims of the research are to contribute to a better understanding of the environment for the development of foundations in Croatia, to explain the role and vision of the development of foundations, to estimate strengths and weaknesses of foundations and to stimulate a discussion about the role of foundations in the development of Croatia. The data on foundations were collected through a mail survey and case studies. The results of the research mainly speak of the development and the increase in the number of foundations in Croatia that mostly play a complementary role. To a smaller extent, foundations appear as innovators. The results of the research indicate a peripheral social model of the development of foundations. Scholarship foundations and foundations in the area of social welfare are dominant. Foundations encounter problems in raising funds to increase their basic assets. They are mainly managed on volunteer basis, and the state does not appear as a partner in the development of foundations. The development of foundations in Croatia will largely depend on the economic progress and new middle classes that will be more concerned about social problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses the need for measures of the Zagreb Strategy of Uniform Policy for Disabled Persons (hereafter: the Zagreb Strategy), the manner of introducing these measures and their realisation in the period from 2003. to 2006. The introductory part of the paper briefly provides basic definitions, historical review of the attitude of society towards disabled persons, a survey of contemporary concepts, approaches and models of protection of this part of the population, as well as the basic characteristics of the disabled persons in the area of the city of Zagreb. The realisation of the Zagreb Strategy measures is considered through the results of the research of the rights of the disabled persons according to the international organisations' methodology, i.e. based on the standardised survey for the analysis of the index of respecting rights of the disabled persons. Since the comparative results of the research prior to the implementation of the Zagreb Strategy and after a half of the period of its validity have been presented, they can be regarded as a pragmatic account of the real situation, because they show how far has the application of the program of action towards the disabled persons in the City of Zagreb gone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the effect of marine environment protection on the autonomous right to salvage incorporated in the Lloyd's Standard Form of Salvage Agreement (Lloyd's Open Form - LOF). The origins of the form go back for more than a hundred years. During that period the form has been revised from time to time. Nowadays, LOF 1995 and LOF 2000 are in use and a new LOF is being prepared, and it is to be published in 2010 (LOF 2010). The most important changes included in the form are related to the 1980 revision - LOF 1980. It was the first time that the right of salvage introduced a long established principle No Cure-No Pay (without useful result there is no right to reward). Further development of the LOF form moved towards better motivation of salvors for prevention of marine environment pollution. Today, the prevention of marine environment pollution is the priority in salvage. The question that causes constant worry to modern salvors is whether the compensation at their disposal is adequate in the case of pollution prevention with regard to their exposure to civil and criminal liability. The fact is that the current remuneration system is not satisfactory and does not sufficiently stimulate the salvors in the protection of the marine environment. Apart from the special award and SCOPIC compensation (Special Compensation P&I Club), salvors only have at their disposal the salvage award as their permanent source of income, and that is traditionally limited by the value of the salved property. Therefore the constant efforts and warnings of The International Salvage Union (ISU) deserve to be praised as they tackle the need to find a new way to motivate salvors for pollution prevention. For now, the fastest and most effective way is to speed up a new revision of LOF which will introduce the Environmental Salvage Awards as an addition to the traditional Salvage award. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need today for libraries of all sorts to have skilfull and communicative staff employed in their everyday public activities. As the experience from developed countries shows, most of them are trained librarians, although many could also be found within the ranks of such associations as the Friends of Libraries. In the United States they are the best ambassadors of libraries, in Australia there are no public libraries without local groups of library supporters. In England there are well known phenomena such as The Friends of Bodleian Library. The author of the paper argues in favour of supporting the activities of Friends of Libraries on both national and local levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]