ZAGREB, March 12 (Hina) - President Stjepan Mesic opened Croatian Lawyers Days in Zagreb on Friday. The event, which takes place at the Croatian Chamber of the Economy, will focus on the subject of "Privatisation in Transition
Countries".
ZAGREB, March 12 (Hina) - President Stjepan Mesic opened Croatian
Lawyers Days in Zagreb on Friday. The event, which takes place at the
Croatian Chamber of the Economy, will focus on the subject of
"Privatisation in Transition Countries".#L#
Mesic said that lawyers played an important part in strengthening the
rule of law, particularly now that Croatia was trying to join the
European Union.
"Croatia is in the process of joining the EU at an accelerated pace
and that is why it is necessary to adjust and harmonise our
legislation to that of the EU. But we are not carrying out the reforms
for the sake of Europe, but because they are in the interest of
Croatian citizens. Independent and competent lawyers play an important
part in this," the president said.
Mesic described the process of ownership transformation and
privatisation in Croatia in the 1990s as "disastrous", saying that it
had taken place in the context of the breakup of Yugoslavia, Serbian
aggression, economic downturn and deindustrialisation.
Corroborating his assertion that the privatisation process was a
failure, he cited an attempt to create a business elite of some 200
rich families that were to have taken over the economy and initiated
economic development. "They paid nothing and everything ended in
catastrophe."
Mesic called on lawyers to formulate such legal amendments and legal
practice as to build legal safety in the country.
(Hina) vm sb