GOVERNMENT ADOPTS PROJECT OF REFORM OF JUDICIARY

ZAGREB, Nov 7 (Hina) - Solving problems in the judiciary is the most difficult as well as one of the most important tasks of the incumbent authorities, Justice Minister Ingrid Anticevic Marinovic said at a government session on Thursday at which the government adopted a draft on the reform of the judiciary. #L# The purpose of the reform is to secure a better judicial system, reduce the number of unsolved cases, and make sure that court proceedings are completed within reasonable time frames. The Justice Ministry, which is the author of the draft, has stated that the reform requires employing deficient staff, investing into equipment, and computerising the courts. Under the draft, capital investments in the judiciary next year would require around 136 million kuna, of which 60.8 million would be invested into facilities, 50 million into computerisation, and 26 million into equipment. Anticevic Marinovic also announced a set of legal incentives which should contribute to increasing the efficiency of the judiciary, speeding up court proceedings and preventing abuse in court proceedings. Not contesting the need for the reform, Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic warned that the draft lacked information on the benefits of the reform for citizens and economy. The minister said that the deadline for making courts more efficient was the end of 2007, which she said was a realistic deadline. She spoke very critically about the judiciary under the former, HDZ-led government. Aspirations towards independent judiciary were not realised, the replacement of judges was not transparent and the new authorities inherited a backlog of unsolved cases, she said. Between 1991 and 1992, around 200 judges left the judiciary; 475 were replaced between 1991 and 1994, and more than 100 were dismissed between 1995 and 1997. (hina) rml sb