ZAGREB, Oct 20 (Hina) - The Croatian government will not ask the Constitutional Court for an opinion about the parliament's decision binding the government to provide all suspects and indictees of the UN war crimes tribunal in The
Hague, as well as their attorneys, with the legal assistance and access to documents necessary to prepare defence, government officials have said.
ZAGREB, Oct 20 (Hina) - The Croatian government will not ask the
Constitutional Court for an opinion about the parliament's
decision binding the government to provide all suspects and
indictees of the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, as well as
their attorneys, with the legal assistance and access to documents
necessary to prepare defence, government officials have said. #L#
Most government officials believe that this would be pointless and
that the Constitutional Court would refuse to give an opinion about
the matter because it cannot compare a law and a subordinate piece
of legislation.
The government officials state that the parliamentary conclusion
is by its legal force below the constitutional law on cooperation
with the UN war crimes tribunal.
They say that the constitutional law refers to the tribunal's
statute which regulates rules of conduct, and that the government
must abide by the law and honour its international obligations.
Reporters could not obtain an answer as to whether this means that
the government will not act on parliamentary conclusions.
According to available information, the government will discuss
the parliament's conclusion, but to all accounts, this will not
happen this week.
Government officials also could not say who would be the new head of
the government's council for cooperation with the UN tribunal,
after Goran Granic resigned to the post last week because of the
parliament's conclusion.
According to unofficial information, Prime Minister Ivica Racan
may take the office.
(hina) rml sb