ZAGREB, May 7 (Hina)- Parliament's Justice Committee on Tuesday decided there was no basis to justify the establishment of an enquiry commission to investigate claims by former Chief State Prosecutor Radovan Ortynski about connections
between the government and organised crime.
ZAGREB, May 7 (Hina)- Parliament's Justice Committee on Tuesday
decided there was no basis to justify the establishment of an
enquiry commission to investigate claims by former Chief State
Prosecutor Radovan Ortynski about connections between the
government and organised crime. #L#
Following a three-hour discussion which was attended by Ortynski,
seven committee members, from the Social Democratic Party (SDP),
the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), and the Croatian People's
Party (HNS), voted against the enquiry commission, while four, from
the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the Croatian Peasant Party
(HSS), and the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) considered that an
enquiry commission was justified.
After the meeting, which was closed to the public, committee
chairman Luka Trconic said that Ortynski did not say anything new to
back his claims with evidence or names.
As he left the meeting, Ortynski told journalists that he could not
present the committee with evidence and names because he was now an
ordinary citizen bound by state secret. Any knowledge he had, he
said he transferred to his colleagues at the State Prosecutor's
Office. He also said that he would not speak before the Committee
while it consisted of certain members, however, he did not name
which members he was referring to.
Those attending said that in his speech before the committee,
Ortynski touched on topics like the Vecernji list daily and
Dubrovacka Bank affairs, a credit co-op, but all "partially, just
as he did at the parliament sitting." He only added to these the case
of the unresolved murder of a union leader, Milan Krivokuca,
committed in 1990.
Vladimir Seks (HDZ) claimed that Ortynski remained steadfast in his
claims of connections between the government and organised crime.
He announced that with HDZ would obtain one fifth of MP signatures
required by parliament to propose the setting up of an enquiry
commission.
The decision not to set up an enquiry commission is an "obstruction
of justice," while Ortynski's replacement is "an attempt by Prime
Minister Ivica Racan to conceal the connections between the
government and organised crime," said Seks.
The Justice Committee will very quickly request the State
Prosecutor's Office to submit a report on what actions it has taken
within its jurisdiction in regard to the claims by Ortynski,
Trconic said.
(hina) sp sb