ZAGREB, Jan 12 (Hina) - The government has given a negative assessment to the past performance of police and judicial institutions in discovering, investigating and prosecuting war crimes committed during and immediately after the end
of the early 1990s Homeland Defence War. Moreover, the government believes it is necessary to set up a special department or office with the State Prosecutor's Office which would be in charge of criminally prosecuting war criminals. Conclusions to that effect were made at Thursday's closed-door session, the government's Media and Public Relations Service said in a statement on Friday. It has also been decided it is necessary to give special local jurisdiction to county courts in Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka and Split, and establish specialised investigation departments and chambers which would hold trials for war criminals. It is also necessary to set up departments with
ZAGREB, Jan 12 (Hina) - The government has given a negative
assessment to the past performance of police and judicial
institutions in discovering, investigating and prosecuting war
crimes committed during and immediately after the end of the early
1990s Homeland Defence War.
Moreover, the government believes it is necessary to set up a
special department or office with the State Prosecutor's Office
which would be in charge of criminally prosecuting war criminals.
Conclusions to that effect were made at Thursday's closed-door
session, the government's Media and Public Relations Service said
in a statement on Friday.
It has also been decided it is necessary to give special local
jurisdiction to county courts in Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka and Split,
and establish specialised investigation departments and chambers
which would hold trials for war criminals.
It is also necessary to set up departments within police
headquarters in charge of investigating activities in connection
with war crimes.
The government has bound the Justice Ministry to prepare the draft
of a bill which would regulate a special organisation of the
judiciary and the police in connection with the prosecution of war
crimes.
(hina) ha