ZAGREB, Oct 21 (Hina) - Upon the start of a parliamentary discussion on the choice of eight possible judges of Croatia's Constitutional Court, deputies of six opposition parties (Opposition Six) left the session of the House of
Representatives on Thursday afternoon, refusing to take part in a procedure of the election of new judges for that Court. The Opposition Six believes that the proper procedure of giving candidacies for this post has not been respected, said Opposition Six coordinator, Ivan Jakovcic, on behalf of those opposition parties. According to a statement which Jakovcic read at the parliamentary session, the Opposition Six claims that none of these parties - HSLS, LS, IDS, HSS, HNS and IDS - has officially been notified of the initiation of the procedure and time terms for giving candidacies for Constitutional Court judges. Jakovcic voiced dissatisfaction that no inter-party talks had been
ZAGREB, Oct 21 (Hina) - Upon the start of a parliamentary discussion
on the choice of eight possible judges of Croatia's Constitutional
Court, deputies of six opposition parties (Opposition Six) left the
session of the House of Representatives on Thursday afternoon,
refusing to take part in a procedure of the election of new judges
for that Court.
The Opposition Six believes that the proper procedure of giving
candidacies for this post has not been respected, said Opposition
Six coordinator, Ivan Jakovcic, on behalf of those opposition
parties.
According to a statement which Jakovcic read at the parliamentary
session, the Opposition Six claims that none of these parties -
HSLS, LS, IDS, HSS, HNS and IDS - has officially been notified of the
initiation of the procedure and time terms for giving candidacies
for Constitutional Court judges.
Jakovcic voiced dissatisfaction that no inter-party talks had been
led on such an important issue, explaining that no talks were held
on either certain candidates or on this list in general before the
House of Counties accepted the proposal.
Therefore, deputies of the aforementioned opposition parties will
not participate in the procedure of the election of proposed
candidates, Jakovcic told the lower house.
After those deputies left the Sabor hall, MPs from HSP, HKDU and the
ruling HDZ party remained in the hall.
Under the Constitution, judges of the Constitutional Court are
elected by the House of Representatives at the proposal of the House
of Counties for a term of eight years from among outstanding
jurists, especially judges, public prosecutors, lawyers and
university professors of law.
The upper house proposed following candidates for Constitutional
Court judges: Smiljko Sokol, Marijan Hranjski, Ivan Mrkonjic, Vice
Vukojevic, Petar Klaric, Emilija Rajic, Jasna Omejec and Ivan
Matija.
The names of these candidates were released last Monday when it was
said that six candidates were proposed by the HDZ, one by the SDP and
one by another four opposition parties (HSS, LS, IDS and HNS).
Deputies of the above mentioned opposition parties in the House of
Counties yesterday opposed the procedure of this election of
possible Constitutional Court judges, and also left the session due
to their disagreement.
(hina) mm ms