ZAGREB, Nov 3 (Hina) - Dunja Pavlicek-Patak, whom Chief State Prosecutor Radovan Ortynski on Friday replaced from the post of Zagreb County Prosecutor, has said she will continue insisting that relations between the State Prosecutor's
Office and the police be regulated and that the police stop their practice of non-cooperation. "This is not my whim, we are talking about deeper problems in the functioning of and relations among the bodies in charge of criminal prosecution, and the public has the right to know about those problems and who is responsible for them," Pavlicek-Patak told Hina on Saturday. Explaining the replacement of Pavlicek-Patak, State Prosecutor Radovan Ortynski said yesterday her conduct had disrupted the work of the State Prosecutor's Office and damaged its reputation. Pavlicek-Patak did not want to comment on Ortynski's explanation of her dismissal but said she would continue ins
ZAGREB, Nov 3 (Hina) - Dunja Pavlicek-Patak, whom Chief State
Prosecutor Radovan Ortynski on Friday replaced from the post of
Zagreb County Prosecutor, has said she will continue insisting that
relations between the State Prosecutor's Office and the police be
regulated and that the police stop their practice of non-
cooperation.
"This is not my whim, we are talking about deeper problems in the
functioning of and relations among the bodies in charge of criminal
prosecution, and the public has the right to know about those
problems and who is responsible for them," Pavlicek-Patak told Hina
on Saturday.
Explaining the replacement of Pavlicek-Patak, State Prosecutor
Radovan Ortynski said yesterday her conduct had disrupted the work
of the State Prosecutor's Office and damaged its reputation.
Pavlicek-Patak did not want to comment on Ortynski's explanation of
her dismissal but said she would continue insisting that the non-
cooperation of the police with the State Prosecutor's Office was
the reason for poor criminal proceedings.
Pavlicek-Patak should return to her previous office of Deputy
Zagreb County Prosecutor, which he held until July 24 this year.
The latest conflict between the State Prosecutor's Office and the
police occurred last week, after the police arrested a group of
persons suspected of a major tax fraud, worth more than 21 million
kuna.
Dissatisfied with the police having arrested the suspects despite
her request that the arrests be postponed until the prosecution
prepared a solid investigation request, Pavlicek-Patak decided not
to file an investigation and detention request, which resulted in
the release of the suspects.
She then refused to comply with Ortynski's request that she file an
investigation request and offered her resignation orally.
Commenting on the dispute after yesterday's meeting with police
officials and representatives of the State Prosecutor's Office and
the Justice Ministry, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said, "the conduct
of some people in the State Prosecutor's Office was not
appropriate." He added that the issue of responsibility would be
cleared up independently by the State Prosecutor's Office.
On the same day, Ortynski replaced Pavlicek-Patak and, according to
unofficial sources, appointed a deputy prosecutor from Zlatar,
Krunoslav Canjuga, acting Zagreb County Prosecutor.
(hina) rml