DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AGAINST KRUNISLAV OLUJIC CONTINUE

( Editorial: --> 2563 ) ZAGREB, Sept 23 (Hina) - The State Judicial Council (DSV) on Wednesday continued the disciplinary proceedings against Krunislav Olujic, former president of the Croatian Supreme Court. According to the plaintiff, in this case the Government, between June 1995 and November 1996, while he was holding the office of Supreme Court President, Krunislav Olujic maintained contact and appeared in public with Branimir Culina and Samir Sabanovic, although he was aware that they were involved in a number of criminal acts. Due to a lack of evidence, the plaintiff has decided to drop charges against Olujic for his alleged sexual relationships with minors. DSV members, headed by President Ante Potrebica, who is also the president of the Disciplinary Court, have decided that the proceedings should be held behind closed doors for the sake of protecting Olujic's honour and the court's dignity. Representatives of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights and Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) were not allowed to attend the proceedings as they failed to previously submit a written request. Olujic himself wanted the proceedings to be open to the public. A request by Olujic's defence for the exclusion of DSV members Ante Potrebica, Marijan Hranjski, Vladimir Maric and Ivan Milanovic, was rejected. In April this year the Constitutional Court accepted an appeal by the defence and annulled the DSV decision of January 1997, which relieved Olujic of his duties as Supreme Court President and judge. The January 1997 decision found Olujic guilty of a grave disciplinary act compromising the reputation of the court and his judicial duty. (hina) rml/sp 231917 MET sep 98