CZECH CONSTITUTIONAL COURT REPS VISIT CROATIAN COLLEAGUES

( Editorial: --> 0250 ) ZAGREB, June 10 (Hina) - Representatives of the Czech Constitutional Court told their Croatian colleagues in Zagreb on Wednesday that the two countries were facing similar problems in the legal order, as countries in transition. The delegation from the Czech Republic, lead by Constitutional Court president Zdenek Kessler, is on a three-day visit to Croatia at the invitation of Croatian Constitutional Court president Jadranko Crnic. The Czech delegation was informed of recent decisions made by the Croatian court and the fact that those decisions were subject to different views, Kessler said. "We were surprised by the stance of your legislative and executive authorities," he said. Asked by Croatian judges whether a Constitutional Court decision had prompted legislative changes, the Czechs responded that in principle it had never happened. Crnic told the Czech delegation that problems existed in relations between the Croatian National Parliament and the Constitutional Court. Asked whether the Czech Parliament responded to a Constitutional Court notice that a law was subject to discussion, Kessler said that every question sent to the Parliament was replied to. The Parliament as an independent legislature should respond to comments on the constitutionality of a law, "but unfortunately, our Parliament does not do that", Crnic said. An advisory body consisting of six advocates is in charge of this issue and expresses the official stance of the Parliament, Kessler said. In the Croatian Parliament such a body is the Committee for the Constitution, Crnic said. The meeting was told that in Croatia every citizen could call upon the Constitutional Court, which was not the case in the Czech Republic. In that regard, Croatia was a step ahead of the Czech Republic. On the other hand, the Czechs were one step ahead when it came to women in the Constitutional Court. Surprised that he did not see any female faces at the Constitutional Court, Kessler said three women were representatives of the fifteen-member Court, one of them being the deputy president. Also present at the talks was the Czech Ambassador to Croatia, Jiri Kudela. (hina) lml /mbr 101737 MET jun 98