EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF JUDGES CONVENES IN DUBROVNIK

DUBROVNIK, May 9 (Hina) - The annual sitting of the European Association of Judges started in Dubrovnik Friday. The conference gathered around 70 participants from Europe, the United States and Israel. #L# President of the Croatian Judges Association, Vladimir Gredelj, recalled in his opening speech that the conference was taking place in a time when Croatia was undergoing the European integration process. "This conference indicates that Croatian judges are a part of the European integration process and not, as some insist, its brakesmen," he said. Speaking about what Croatia should do in the judiciary to meet criteria for joining the EU, Gredelj said it was most important to change the executive authority's attitude towards the judiciary so "we can finally seriously start the reform of the justice system". Participants were greeted by a Croatian parliament envoy, Ante Markov, and the president of the Supreme Court, Ivica Crnic, who stressed that the conference was a true opportunity for participants to become acquainted with various legal and justice systems and also with the position of judges in other European countries. The president of the World Association of Judges, Ernst Markel, is also participating in the two-day conference. (hina) lml sb