At Tadic's request but without his presence, the Constitutional Court yesterday considered the implications of a Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina decision confirming the indictment in the Lijanovici meat company case.
The Constitutional Court concluded that its work must not be influenced by allegations which have not been proved or investigated in proceedings before competent courts, and that any other course of action could subject it to outside pressure, undermining its independence and impartiality.
The Constitutional Court also recalled that its rules and the Constitution clearly stated that one of its judges can be dismissed before the end of his term only when he or she has been convicted.
Apart from Tadic, the Lijanovici indictment charges four Ivankovic-Lijanovic brothers, Sarajevo Law School professor Zdravko Lucic, and the Croat member of Bosnia's Presidency, Dragan Covic.
Covic's office said in a press release today that the representatives of the four parties making up Bosnia's ruling coalition had considered the possible aspects of the Bosnian courts' decisions and their effect on the political situation and the work of the Presidency and the Constitutional Court.
The ruling parties concluded the current situation might destabilise the government and voiced their determination to do everything to avert a crisis.
The parties said they acknowledged the opinions of Covic and his Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina party that he should not step down until proven guilty. A final decision on the matter has been announced for early next week.