ZAGREB, Jan 24 (Hina) - After a spokesman of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) announced some changes in the Croatian Supreme Court and the State Attorney's Office, the Supreme Court President, Milan Vukovic, said he had
offered his resignation. In his statement forwarded to Sunday's issue of the Zagreb-based daily 'Vjesnik, Vukovic recalled the recent address of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on the state of the nation in which Tudjman pointed to dissatisfaction of citizens with inefficiency of courts. Tudjman pointed out that "the backlog in the administration of justice is too great", as the number of pending cases has exceeded the figure of one million. Explaining that "radical changes are required in order to change such a state of affairs as soon as possible" Tudjman called on the Croatian National Parliament to conclude the debate on the organisation of the administration of justice. Vukov
ZAGREB, Jan 24 (Hina) - After a spokesman of the ruling Croatian
Democratic Union (HDZ) announced some changes in the Croatian
Supreme Court and the State Attorney's Office, the Supreme Court
President, Milan Vukovic, said he had offered his resignation.
In his statement forwarded to Sunday's issue of the Zagreb-based
daily 'Vjesnik, Vukovic recalled the recent address of Croatian
President Franjo Tudjman on the state of the nation in which Tudjman
pointed to dissatisfaction of citizens with inefficiency of
courts.
Tudjman pointed out that "the backlog in the administration of
justice is too great", as the number of pending cases has exceeded
the figure of one million.
Explaining that "radical changes are required in order to change
such a state of affairs as soon as possible" Tudjman called on the
Croatian National Parliament to conclude the debate on the
organisation of the administration of justice.
Vukovic quoted Tudjman as saying that the entire system of justice
with the Supreme Court at its head, and the Constitutional Court
"must perform as a more harmonious whole within the structure of
Croatian state authority" in order to function more efficiently and
that "this should also be kept in mind in connection with the end of
the mandate, due this year, of the present members of the
Constitutional Court."
Vukovic said those were messages from which he could immediately
draw necessary conclusions. After that, he placed the mandate of
the Supreme Court President at the disposal.
Respecting the wish of President Tudjman that the Supreme and
Constitutional Courts should perform as a more harmonious whole,
Vukovic added that his return to the Constitutional Court could
help develop more harmonious performance of the two courts.
In his statement, Vukovic recalled that he had taken the office of
the Supreme Court President after he was a member of the
Constitutional Court. However, he added, it is up to the Croatian
Parliament, which elects Constitutional Court members for a term of
eight years, to decide on Vukovic's proposal.
(hina) ms