COURT REJECTS REQUEST THAT PROSECUTOR IN ZAGREB MOBSTER TRIAL BE EXCLUDED

ZAGREB, Nov 3 (Hina) - The request of the team defending Zagreb mobsters that prosecutor Dunja Pavlicek Patak be excluded from the trial has been rejected, a vice-president of the Zagreb County Court, Damir Kos, said on Friday. The defence submitted the request that the prosecutor be excluded from the proceedings saying that after the issuing of the indictment Pavlicek Patak had conducted a parallel investigation, including the questioning of a number of citizens at the State Prosecutor's Office and that, in general, they doubted her impartiality. County State Prosecutor Visnja Loncar rejected the request today, saying the allegations about a parallel investigation had already been discussed and it had been established that the claim was unfounded as was the indictees' doubt about the impartiality of prosecutor Pavlicek Patak. This means that the prosecution team will remain the same, including deputy county prosecutors Janjko Grlic, Petar Dragosavac and Dunja Pavlicek Patak. Thirteen Zagreb mobsters are charged with association into a criminal organisation, murder, attempted murder, drug dealing, racketeering, violent behaviour and other criminal acts. The indictment was initially issued against 18 persons, with one indictee being at large. Of the 17 arrested indictees, one agreed to cooperate and was granted the status of repenter, which resulted in his being excluded from the indictment. Three other indictees will be tried separately. The main hearing in this case should have started on September 16, but it was postponed three times due to the conduct and requests of the defence and prosecution teams. As soon as the trial started last Monday, October 30, it was discontinued again due to the defence's request that prosecutor Pavlicek Patak be excluded. The trial should resume on November 6. (hina) jn rml