ZAGREB, Dec 15 (Hina) - Croatia's judiciary must be well equipped, receive adequate premises and have a sufficient number of well paid judges if we want the separation of powers to function well, said National Parliament's President
Vlatko Pavletic, who is the acting President of Croatia. After Wednesday's meeting with Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic, Supreme Court President Marijan Ramuscak and State Attorney Berislav Zivkovic, Pavletic said attention had to be paid to all possibilities that can help cut the number of pending cases at courts. During the session, held behind the closed doors, it was reiterated that there was a huge number of still unsolved cases, first of all at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has some cases listed as pending for 30 years, and a not small number of cases have been awaiting the resolution for ten years. If one takes into consideration the war period i
ZAGREB, Dec 15 (Hina) - Croatia's judiciary must be well equipped,
receive adequate premises and have a sufficient number of well paid
judges if we want the separation of powers to function well, said
National Parliament's President Vlatko Pavletic, who is the acting
President of Croatia.
After Wednesday's meeting with Justice Minister Zvonimir
Separovic, Supreme Court President Marijan Ramuscak and State
Attorney Berislav Zivkovic, Pavletic said attention had to be paid
to all possibilities that can help cut the number of pending cases
at courts.
During the session, held behind the closed doors, it was reiterated
that there was a huge number of still unsolved cases, first of all at
the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court has some cases listed as pending for 30 years, and
a not small number of cases have been awaiting the resolution for
ten years. If one takes into consideration the war period it is
logical that so many cases have been accumulated so that now a job
normally done in two years must be finished in one year in order to
make it possible for courts not to be behind schedule by 2002.
"In order to guarantee to each citizen that wrongs done to them can
be redressed as soon as possible at the court, a law-based state
should not function only on the grounds of laws, i.e. in a fair
manner, but also quickly," Pavletic said.
Pavletic believed that a part of problems stemmed from insufficient
computer equipment of courts and from a lack of room.
After the forthcoming elections and during the adoption of a state
budget for the next year the problems of the judiciary will have to
be discussed with arguments, he added.
Justice Minister Zvonimir Separovic pointed to the importance of
responsibility of judicial and court employees so that they can
meet the public expectations.
"Justice is too slow and this must be improved in the sense that
justice be speedier and more adequate to the needs of citizens," the
Minister added.
Today's meeting stressed the importance of independence of courts,
regardless of political changes, he said.
Separovic informed in detail Pavletic of Croatia's relations with
the Hague-based international war crimes tribunal (ICTY) and the
International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Reporters asked Supreme Court President Ramuscak whether the new
President of Sabor or the incumbent one Pavletic, would give the
mandate for designating members of a new government after the
constitution of the new House of Representatives and the election
of its President. "It will be the new President of the Sabor,"
Ramuscak answered.
(hina) ms