PULA, Aug 22 (Hina) - Slovene attorney Danijel Starman said on Thursday that his client, Josko Joras, did not recognise Croatia's jurisdiction and was thus refusing to pay 5,000 kuna in fines, despite the fact that he would be
released from a Croatian jail if he did so.
PULA, Aug 22 (Hina) - Slovene attorney Danijel Starman said on
Thursday that his client, Josko Joras, did not recognise Croatia's
jurisdiction and was thus refusing to pay 5,000 kuna in fines,
despite the fact that he would be released from a Croatian jail if he
did so. #L#
Joras, who refuses to acknowledge that his place of residence,
Mlini in Istria, is on Croatian territory, was arrested Wednesday
afternoon and taken to Pula's municipal jail where he is serving a
30-day sentence.
The Umag magistrate's court imprisoned Joras because he ignored
seven misdemeanour proceedings which were conducted against him at
the court since 1999. He also disregarded the fines the court
ordered him to pay, as well as court expenses.
The judge, thus, decided that he be imprisoned for a 30-day term.
On Sunday, Joras put up the Slovene flag on the roof of his house and
a sign saying "This is Slovenia". Several disgruntled Umag
residents took the flag down and put up Croatia's instead.
Starman, an attorney based in Kopar and a former MP in Slovenia,
said Joras would serve his month-long sentence and did not
recognise Croatia's jurisdiction.
Starman said the Umag court had committed a crime since Joras never
received any decision issued by the court. He said he would request
of Slovenia to protect its citizen and resident.
The Slovene Embassy's Charge d'Affaires, Marijan Ristic, on
Wednesday spoke with Joras in prison.
(hina) lml sb