Clubs of parliamentary parties and the Sabor presidency on Monday agreed that the seven-member commission would consist of MPs Marija Bajt of the Croatian Democratic Union, Josip Leko of the Social Democratic Party, Pejo Trgovcevic of the Croatian Party of Rights and Nikola Mak, a representative of national minorities as well as of Antun Zorislav Petrovic, the president of Transparency International Croatia, a representative of the Croatian Unity Forum, Milan Ramljak and university professor Miomir Matulovic,
The latter three should have been external members of the commission.
However, Miomir Matulovic, the dean of the law school in the northern Adriatic city of Rijeka, sent a message by fax on Tuesday morning to the Elections and Appointments Committee head, Branimir Glavas, saying that he could not accept the candidacy due to his other business obligations and that nobody had previously contacted him to talk with him on the proposal.
Glavas said that it was very irresponsible to go public with the names of persons who had not been asked whether they would accept the nomination.
According to some sources from the committee, Matulovic was nominated by the Croatian People Party (HNS).
The committee on Tuesday endorsed the nomination of Jurica Malcic as new ombudsman.