"We will see the Constitutional Court's explanation. I absolutely respect that institution. We will not nor is it our intention to cause disorder in the university community, but it is also furthest from our minds to forget the contribution those families made in the creation, defence and liberation of Croatia," Sanader said in response to a question from the press at the Christmas reception of his Croatian Democratic Union party.
He said the ministers of veterans' affairs and education agreed that a solution should be found with university heads and veterans' associations which the Constitutional Court would accept and which would enable veterans' children not to have precedence over others, but to study.
Asked if this was a blow to his government, Sanader said it was not and that he respected the Constitutional Court as the highest body which could derogate even a parliamentary law. "We will act accordingly," he said.
Veterans Minister Jandranka Kosor said a task force had been set up to find a solution which would implement the good intention to help those children.
The Constitutional Court rescinded the provision on the direct enrolment privilege after several parties, including the Independent Union of Workers in Science and Higher Education, the Croatian Helsinki Committee on Human Rights, and the Zagreb University, asked the Court to assess if the provision, from the law on the rights of war veterans and their families, was in accordance with the Constitution.
Under the provision of the law which went into force in 2005, the children of killed, detained, missing or disabled veterans as well as volunteers were entitled to direct enrolment in high schools and universities provided that they had achieved the minimum test score. The provision caused problems in the enrolment of regular students at the University of Zagreb.
Those who contested the provision said that it was unconstitutional as it was contrary to the principle of equality and the rule of law, the equality of all before the law, the equal availability of high school and university education, and the autonomy of universities.
The Constitutional Court agreed and rescinded the provision, with the explanation that the availability of high school and university education under equal conditions and in keeping with one's abilities, as guaranteed by the Constitution, does not recognise exceptions or the possibility of someone having precedence in enrolment on some other ground. Therefore, the judges said, the legislator did not have the right to give precedence to veterans' children.
The Association of Disabled Homeland War Veterans said in a statement it was shocked by the Constitutional Court's decision.