STATE JUDICIAL COUNCIL PUBLICIZES ITS DECISION ON 'OLUJIC CASE'

ZAGREB, 14 Jan (Hina) - After a discussion and a vote behind closed doors, the President of the State Judicial Council (DSV), Ante Potrebica, tonight made public a decision made by the DSV regarding disciplinary proceedings against Krunislav Olujic, the suspended president of and judge in the Croatian Supreme Court. According to the decision, Olujic 'has committed a grave disciplinary act and inflicted damage on the reputation of the Court and judicial duty from Article 20 of the Act on the State Judicial Council'. According to the DSV decision, Olujic is relieved of his duties as the president of and judge in the Croatian Supreme Court. #L# According to the decision, from June 1995 to the beginning of November 1996, while he held the posts of the Supreme Court President and judge, Olujic contacted and was seen in public in Zagreb, Osijek and Umag in the company of Branimir Culina and Samir Sabanovic, although he knew that the two men had criminal records and that they had been indicted, tried and sentenced, and used his influence and connections to act in the interest and to the benefit of Culina and Sabanovic. The DSV dropped charges against Olujic concerning the indictment according to which Olujic maintained sexual relations with minors in Zagreb and Osijek from January to August 1996, while he held the post of the Supreme Court President. According to the DSV Act, DSV President Potrebica said, Olujic had the right to submit a request for protection to the Parliament House of Counties within 15 days from the day of the delivery of the DSV decision. The request, however, does not postpone the execution of today's decision on disciplinary responsibility, Potrebica stressed. (hina) rm mm 142015 MET jan 97