LEGAL DOCUMENTS RESULTING FROM FORCE ARE INVALID - CRO JUSTICE MINISTE

MINISTE $ R VUKOVAR, Sept 30 (Hina) - Every legal document issued in the Danube river region of eastern Croatia as a result of force, war or aggression, is invalid in line with a law on the validity of documents issued in formerly occupied areas passed last week, Croatian Justice Minister Miroslav Separovic told reporters in Vukovar on Tuesday, after signing a declaration on the reintegration of the judiciary. The law on the validity of documents issued in formerly occupied areas recognizes contracts which are the result of the signatories' will. "If the contract has been made under the will of both sides and in line with legal provisions of the Republic of Croatia, there is no reason why it should not be recognized", Separovic said. "If it is the result of force, ethnic cleansing, coercion or threat, be it tenancy rights or something else, it cannot be recognized", he added. The justice minister recalled that the law on the validity of documents issued in formerly occupied areas validates specific documents, such as rulings, certificates, contracts, if they are in line with the Croatian constitution, the Constitutional Law on the Rights of Minorities and the Croatian legislation. Anyone may request to check whether any such legal document is in line with or contrary to the said provisions, Separovic said. Asked what will happen to court cases started in the Croatian Danube region under invalid laws, Justice Minister Separovic said they will be solved, in line with the Croatian Constitution, the Constitutional Law on the Rights of Minorities, the Law on Validity of Documents Issued in Formerly Occupied Areas, and the Croatian legislation. (hina) ha jn 301737 MET sep 97