CROATIAN JUSTICE MINISTER VISITS SUPREME COURT

ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - Croatian Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic on Tuesday visited the Supreme Court where its president Marijan Ramuscak informed him of the problems and results of the court. "I have come to see what the Ministry can do to enable as better conditions as possible for the court to perform its duties," Separovic said. he added that in the short period since his nomination, he had developed a good cooperation with the Supreme Court president. Expressing satisfaction with the work of the Supreme Court, Separovic stressed the Ministry at this moment can help the judiciary the most by professionally training young and inexperienced judges, and by remaining determined to amend and adopt laws which would simplify and expedite court procedures. Separovic stressed an increase in salaries recognised judges' status which they deserved. "A good material position for judges and their expertise are the biggest guarantees of the independence of the judiciary," Separovic said. He reiterated the large number of unsolved court cases and courts' great debts were the biggest problems of the Croatian judiciary. Ramuscak stressed material, staff and location problems in the judiciary were not recent. "They go back some ten and more years," he said. Ramuscak added since 1990 a great number of judges have left the judiciary and had become public notaries and attorneys. "Only by a greater responsibility and increased work of judges can we solve the large number of unsolved cases," Ramuscak said. (hina) lml