ZAGREB, April 21 (Hina) - President of the Association of Croatian Judges (UHS), Vladimir Gudelj, and the US Ambassador to Croatia, William Montgomery, held talks in Zagreb Friday about the two-year cooperation between the Association
and the US Government, as well as problems facing the Croatian judiciary and justice system. "We met to summarise our two-year cooperation. I believe we expressed mutual satisfaction with the results of the cooperation, Gredelj said after the meeting. He said the cooperation was "indicated in the development of the UHS which has recently become an important factor of democratic processes in Croatia". The talks also focused on problems which the Croatian judiciary is facing, such as the lack of funds, slowness in changes to laws, etc. Assessing that an independent and effective judiciary which fully respects the rule of law is absolutely necessary for every democracy and its progress, M
ZAGREB, April 21 (Hina) - President of the Association of Croatian
Judges (UHS), Vladimir Gudelj, and the US Ambassador to Croatia,
William Montgomery, held talks in Zagreb Friday about the two-year
cooperation between the Association and the US Government, as well
as problems facing the Croatian judiciary and justice system.
"We met to summarise our two-year cooperation. I believe we
expressed mutual satisfaction with the results of the cooperation,
Gredelj said after the meeting.
He said the cooperation was "indicated in the development of the UHS
which has recently become an important factor of democratic
processes in Croatia".
The talks also focused on problems which the Croatian judiciary is
facing, such as the lack of funds, slowness in changes to laws,
etc.
Assessing that an independent and effective judiciary which fully
respects the rule of law is absolutely necessary for every
democracy and its progress, Montgomery said the UHS was evidently a
key factor in this process and there thus existed a reason for the
long-term cooperation with the Association.
The aim of today's meeting was for us to look back and see what we
have achieved and what are will have to do. We intend to continue
this cooperation, the US Ambassador said.
It is important that the Justice Ministry and the Association were
perceiving problems jointly, he said.
What we wish to do it facilitate making decisions in this view,
Montgomery said.
Gredelj said the two agreed that it was especially important not to
allow politics to meddle into the judicial authority.
The Association of Croatian Judges advocates the independence of
the judicial authority, education of judges and promotion of
constitutionality and legality.
(hina) lml jn