ZAGREB, Oct 29 (Hina) - The number of complaints submitted to the Croatian Constitutional Court because of the length of proceedings has constantly been increasing since the adoption of a legal provision this March that the Court must
resolve every such complaint. Before that date, the Constitutional Court could make decisions whether or not to deal with such cases.
ZAGREB, Oct 29 (Hina) - The number of complaints submitted to the
Croatian Constitutional Court because of the length of proceedings
has constantly been increasing since the adoption of a legal
provision this March that the Court must resolve every such
complaint. Before that date, the Constitutional Court could make
decisions whether or not to deal with such cases. #L#
During 2000 and 2001, the Constitutional Court received 106 suits
because of lengthy proceedings in courts of lower instance, or
which 78 were solved, mostly unfavourably.
In this period, the Court could decide whether or not it would rule
on these complaints before all regular steps before domestic courts
were exhausted.
Under amendments to the Constitutional Law on the Constitutional
Court adopted in March, the Court is obliged to solve all such
complaints, and in case it finds any irregularity, it is obliged to
set fines.
The adoption of the amendments resulted in an increasing number of
suits for unreasonably long proceedings. Since March, 271
complaints have thus been filed at the Constitutional Court.
The Court ruled in favour of only one complaint and ordered the
court of lower instance to pass a ruling within six months, and set a
fine of 4,500 kuna.
(hina) lml sb