GOV'T FAILS TO SUPPORT HDZ'S DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO LAW ON COOPERATION WITH ICTY

ZAGREB, July 19 (Hina) - The Croatian government on Thursday did not support Croatian Democratic Union's (HDZ) draft amendments to a Constitutional law on cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, assessing there was no legal foundation for the amendments and that the amendments were contrary to the Statute and regulations of the Hague tribunal. The HDZ parliamentary bench moved for amendments to the Constitutional Law, namely Article 20. In line with the amendments, Croatian courts would be able to assess whether the Hague indictments had been adjusted to the Croatian Constitution and the ICTY Statute. Should the courts establish that a Hague indictment contains unacceptable political assessments, Croatia could, according to the HDZ suggestion, refuse to hand over its citizens on the basis of such an indictment. The passing of the amendments would mean that a domestic court has more power than the Hague tribunal, Justice Minister Stjepan Ivanisevic said. He said indictments are issued by the Hague Prosecutors, confirmed by a judge after which a trial before the court is to begin. According to the amendments, Croatian courts would be more competent in relation to the Hague tribunal, Ivanisevic said explaining the government's decision. (hina) it