OSIJEK COUNTY COURT PRESIDENT COMMENTS ON 'SODOLOVCI GROUP' CASE

( Editorial: --> 1564 ) OSIJEK, Aug 3 (Hina) - Osijek County Court president Petar Kljajic on Monday said that the Croatian Supreme Court had recently asked the Osijek County Court to establish which members of the so-called Sodolovci Group resided on the territory of Croatia. The Osijek County Court was also requested to investigate why some members of this group, whose whereabouts are known to Croatian judicial bodies, have not been arrested to serve their sentences on the basis of a previously issued arrest warrant, Kljajic said. The Osijek County Court in 1995 sentenced in absentia members of the group to long-term imprisonment because they were found to have committed war crimes against civilians by shelling settlements in eastern Croatia during 1992. Out of the 19 members of the group, eight are believed to reside on Croatian territory, including Goran Vusurovic, who is currently being tried in absentia at the Osijek County Court. The defence for the Sodolovci Group appealed to the Supreme Court, objecting to a decision by the Osijek County Court rejecting a proposal on a re-trial for their clients. The Supreme Court accepted the appeal and returned the case to the County Court to reconsider it. The Supreme Court confirmed that requirements for a re-trial had been met, adding though that a possible re-trial would mean that members of the group had to be detained. Kljajic explained that members of the group would not be taken into custody to serve their sentences in line with the existing verdict but for the sake of implementing a legal security measure, as war crimes suspects cannot defend themselves while out of custody. Once it has gathered required data, the Osijek County Court will make a decision on the possible re-trial. The arrest warrant for the Sodolovci Group remains valid but this time for the sake of implementing the security measure of custody, Kljajic said. He stressed the case of Sodolovci municipal head Pero Klickovic, adding that it was inadmissible for a person sentenced in absentia for war crimes to occupy a high office in local self-government. (hina) rml/mbr 032030 MET aug 98