ZAGREB, Dec 11 (Hina) - The rule of law envisages the right to launch investigations and request pressing criminal charges, but also gives competent bodies the right to turn said charges down if they assess they lack foundation, the
prime minister said on Monday. Speaking at Question Hour at parliament's House of Counties in connection with the recent GRUPO media scandal, PM Ivica Racan said passing judgement on somebody's guilt before the investigation was over and the State Prosecutor's Office took its position was unacceptable, as were pressures on state bodies from any side. Asked why the Slovene parliament still had not ratified an agreement on local border traffic with Croatia, Racan said he had been assured it would be done soon. We may be optimistic about other open issues with Slovenia as well, he said. Asked if the government would publish a list of costs run by MPs and ministers, Racan reminded the
ZAGREB, Dec 11 (Hina) - The rule of law envisages the right to launch
investigations and request pressing criminal charges, but also
gives competent bodies the right to turn said charges down if they
assess they lack foundation, the prime minister said on Monday.
Speaking at Question Hour at parliament's House of Counties in
connection with the recent GRUPO media scandal, PM Ivica Racan said
passing judgement on somebody's guilt before the investigation was
over and the State Prosecutor's Office took its position was
unacceptable, as were pressures on state bodies from any side.
Asked why the Slovene parliament still had not ratified an
agreement on local border traffic with Croatia, Racan said he had
been assured it would be done soon. We may be optimistic about other
open issues with Slovenia as well, he said.
Asked if the government would publish a list of costs run by MPs and
ministers, Racan reminded the list had been requested by
parliament. "The government will fulfil this obligation, because
we all need public control."
Upper house MPs inquired if NATO would pay for using Croatia's air
space and the damage caused during last year's intervention in
neighbouring Yugoslavia. Racan said it would be difficult given
that the former government failed to ask for compensation in time.
Asked if Croatia would get part of ex-Yugoslavia's gold reserves
stored in Basel, Switzerland, Racan said the national succession
commission was working on the matter and that parliament would soon
be submitted a report on its work. "We must be cautious in taking
note of statements from Belgrade that it accepts equality in
succession," he added.
First Deputy PM Goran Granic told the upper house displaced Croats
would be able to return to pre-war homes which currently
accommodate displaced Serbs, in Vukovar and elsewhere, within two
years. It is the law-based state's obligation to respect ownership
and restitute everyone their property.
Asked when a bill on Vukovar, the martyr town of last decade's war,
would finally be forwarded into parliamentary procedure, he
reminded the government had already done it but that in the meantime
a group of MPs moved their own bill. The government will try to
harmonise both texts, he said.
(hina) ha