SERB PEOPLE'S COUNCIL ON NON-APPOINTMENT OF SERB JUDGES

ZAGREB, March, 13 (Hina) - The Serb People's Council (SNV) on Thursday voiced concern about a recent decision by the State Judiciary Council (DSV) about the non-appointment of Serb judge Ninko Miric into the Vojnic municipal court, with the explanation of some DSV members that Miric was "not loyal to Croatia" and had illegally practised law. #L# The SNV said the DSV's explanation for its decision was a violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, discrimination on national and political bases and non-compliance with the constitutional law on national minorities, SNV president Milorad Pupovac told a news conference Wednesday. At a DSV session of March 6, attorney Drazen Matijevic said that somebody who was not loyal to Croatia "such as Miric, who left for Belgrade instead of for Karlovac or Zagreb during the occupation of this region", could not be a judge in Croatia. Maric was the only candidate for the Vojnic municipal court in which he was a judge and its president from 1976 to 1991. In 1991 he was dismissed by the authorities of the so-called Republic of Srpska Krajina. He left for Belgrade and co-operated with the Serbian Helsinki Committee, and after returning to Croatia he was legal advisor at the Serb Democratic Forum. Other DSV members did not vote for Miric because of information they received from the president of the Croatian Bar Association, Ranko Pelicaric, that the chamber had had trouble with him for his illegal law practising. Pupovac dismissed such accusations because, as he said, Miric had provided free legal advice and assistance on behalf of the Serb Democratic Forum to people who could not pay for lawyers. He is doing th same for the Norwegian council for refugees, he said. Miric said he had filed a suit to the human rights court in Strasbourg and would keep applying for the post of judge in Vojnic. (hina) lml sb