ZAGREB, March 11 (Hina) - Justice Minister Ingrid Anticevic Marinovic has stressed that the ongoing reform in the judiciary should continue and that it will start yielding results.
ZAGREB, March 11 (Hina) - Justice Minister Ingrid Anticevic
Marinovic has stressed that the ongoing reform in the judiciary
should continue and that it will start yielding results. #L#
"The proposed projects in the legislation will ease the burden on
the shoulders of the judiciary, and the backlog in pending cases in
courts will be diminished," Minister Anticevic Marinovic said in
parliament on Tuesday.
Responding to objections and criticism from the opposition, she
said that both the government and the Sabor were bound to help the
judiciary and ensure good working conditions and good laws, and
that the results would be evident.
During a parliamentary debate on the issue on Tuesday afternoon,
the proposed judicial reform did not gain the support of the
opposition parties whose MPs do not believe that the proposed
changes would have any significant bearing on the situation in the
judicial sector.
On the other hand, representatives of the ruling coalition hailed
the reform.
On behalf of the opposition Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) bench,
its whip, Vladimir Seks, said the slowness, inefficiency and lack
of trust among citizens in an objective and uncorrupted execution
of justice were the main pains of the judicial system.
HDZ representatives, who described the reform as pointless,
accused the incumbent authorities of weakening the independence of
the judicial authorities by changing the Constitution.
Another opposition party, the Croatian Party of Rights, fiercely
criticised the situation with land registers.
"If the authorities are not willing to revoke all entries in land
books made contrary to provisions on the law on land registers, then
they cannot say they have the best intentions regarding the
judicial reform," HSP leader Anto Djapic said.
The opposition Democratic Centre (DC) added that Croatia lost
actually one billion dollars of potential investments annually
because of such a state of affairs with land books.
In previous years, the reform in the judiciary only ensured higher
funds for salaries and the redecoration of courts, DC
representative Vesna Skare Ozbolt said.
She added that two thirds of judges had less than five years of
service in this sector.
The DC supports establishment of a national court that would try
suspects for war crimes, organised crime and terror.
Parliament wrapped up its session for Tuesday and will sit on
Wednesday to discuss election bills.
(hina) ms