ZAGREB, Oct 21 (Hina) - A disclosure of a state, official or +business secret, depending on a person's discretion right and moral +judgement, is not an element of a law-based state, so we should not +encourage it, Croatian Premier
Zlatko Matesa told the Croatian +National Sabor's (parliament) House of Representatives on +Wednesday.+ Marin Jurjevic, of the Social Democratic party (SDP), asked Matesa +if it was possible to protect Ankica Lepej, a bank clerk who +disclosed information on the Croatian President's wife Ankica +Tudjman's bank account, from possible harassment, particularly +because the majority of people considered her act as moral.+ Matesa said the practice of disclosing secrets fundamentally was +not right and was not an element of a law-based state. If a person +has any doubts, they can report to competent state authorities, the +Sabor's president for instance, and then the protecti
ZAGREB, Oct 21 (Hina) - A disclosure of a state, official or
business secret, depending on a person's discretion right and moral
judgement, is not an element of a law-based state, so we should not
encourage it, Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa told the Croatian
National Sabor's (parliament) House of Representatives on
Wednesday.
Marin Jurjevic, of the Social Democratic party (SDP), asked Matesa
if it was possible to protect Ankica Lepej, a bank clerk who
disclosed information on the Croatian President's wife Ankica
Tudjman's bank account, from possible harassment, particularly
because the majority of people considered her act as moral.
Matesa said the practice of disclosing secrets fundamentally was
not right and was not an element of a law-based state. If a person
has any doubts, they can report to competent state authorities, the
Sabor's president for instance, and then the protection mechanisms
of private or state interests can be started.
On Jurjevic reiterated question if Lepej could be protected from
harassment, such as the three-hour questioning without a lawyer's
presence, Matesa responded that as far as the executive authority
was concerned, there was no wish for any such thing.
Zagreb daily "Jutarnji List" published an article on October 17
under the headline "Ankica Tudjman on March 24 this year ties a
deposit of DEM210,000 and US$15,740 in Zagrebacka Banka".
Zagrebacka Banka then offered a reward of US$170,000 for
information on the person who revealed the confidential matter, but
Lepej turned herself in on Monday night.
During question time several other representatives asked questions
on the Lepej case.
Djurdja Adlesic of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS)
inquired about the Government's attitude toward Zagrebacka Banka's
wanted poster ad, as well as whether it was customary to apprehend
people for questioning also at night time.
Matesa said Zagrebacka Banka is mostly privately owned, and that
the Government had no influence on the bank's decision.
Interior Minister Ivan Penic stressed that it was customary and
often frequent to carry out certain questionings at night, morning,
and on weekends.
Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) asked if
Zagrebacka Banka had checked the origin of a deposit over
US$18,300, in this case Ankica Tudjman's, in line with provisions
of the Law on Money Laundering Prevention.
Finance Minister Borislav Skegro said the Law also envisages cases
in which it is not necessary to investigate the origin of the
deposit.
(hina) it jn/ha