Zagreb - The four candidates for the new State Attorney General - Deputy State Attorney General Emilijo Kalabrić, attorney Mladen Dragičević, High Criminal Court judge Ivan Turudić and Split County Deputy Prosecutor Nikša Wagner - on Wednesday presented their programmes and answered questions before the Sabor's Committee on the Judiciary.
Kalabrić: Adopting the Law on the State Attorney's Office (DORH) should be stepped up
Presenting his programme, Kalabrić said that he was not given a signal by the ruling coalition or from prosecutors' circles to run for the post.
"I only want the votes of those who perceive me as a person who will be autonomous," Kalabrić said after Bridge MP Nikola Grmoja congratulated him, noting that the parliamentary majority had already chosen him as the new State Attorney General.
Asked by Bridge MP Ružica Vukovac if he could deny speculation that he was given the green light by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković owing to his ties to Justice Minister Ivan Malenica, Kalabrić said that he did not have ties to any politicians.
"I think the Prime Minister said that he had talked to three candidates and did not know the fourth one. That's me. I did not know the minister until he became minister. I never even had a coffee with him," said Kalabrić.
Asked by Stephen Bartulica (Homeland Movement) if incumbent State Attorney General Zlata Hrvoj Šipek should step down due to a failed expert witness report in the Big Agrokor case, Kalabrić said, "Imagine if the expert witness had concluded that no offence had been committed and the State Attorney General discontinued the proceedings, thus causing the state damage in the amount of one million euros in the same way."
HDZ MP Nikola Mažar wanted to know Kalabrić's position on war crimes and the war missing.
Kalabrić said that he was aware of the public's sensitivity to that topic and that DORH was trying to be proactive in that regard.
"It happens frequently that a victim of war crimes does not want to testify against the perpetrator because they are neighbours," he added.
Sandra Benčić (We Can!) told Kalabrić that he seemed to be successfully not answering the questions, notably those concerning the disclosure of information from investigations, to which he said that he was not the one to question the law but to implement it.
The purpose of the confidentiality of criminal investigations is to make them efficient and for the person who is being investigated not to be sentenced in advance, he said.
"On the other hand, the public has the right to information. Technically, this law is completely unnecessary. If it says that the content of inquiries must not be disclosed, that is superfluous because inquiries are already confidential," he said, adding that reporters are not obliged to disclose the source of their information.
Presenting his programme, Kalabrić stressed that work on adopting the Law on the State Attorney's Office (DORH) should be stepped up for the sake of the quality of work.
Former HDZ Justice Minister Dražen Bošnjaković asked if indictments against a large number of people were necessary, which is what happened in the Agrokor case, which leads to the conclusion that the proceedings will not be completed any time soon.
"Of course I'm not in favour of that. Among other things, DORH will have to see to it that court cases are more successful and resolved faster. Between 4,100 and 4,200 cases are waiting for a hearing to be scheduled. We have not made justice fast and efficient," he said.
Peđa Grbin (SDP) asked Kalabrić what he would do to make the USKOK anti-corruption agency more functional, and what his position was on the fact that the USKOK director had not been appointed yet.
"In my view, USKOK's efficiency depends on an adequate legislative framework, sufficient human and material resources, a proactive approach, and inter-institutional and efficient international cooperation," Kalabrić said, to which Grbin asked why he had not stated this in his programme.
Dragičević: Agrokor case would not have happened to me
Before Kalabrić, the Judiciary Committee heard lawyer Mladen Dragičević, who was asked by Committee member Karolina Vidović Krišto (OIP) about his relationship with the prime minister.
"I have known Andrej Plenković and his whole family for 40 years, I have no problem with that. Since he has been in power, I have lost a third of my business deals, so he has done me a disservice," said Dragičević.
Asked by Bartulica if he would have stepped down if he had been State Attorney General when the Big Agrokor case collapsed, he said that it would have been a moral obligation.
Presenting his programme, he said that one had witnessed too many omissions at DORH and that that should no longer happen.
"For example in the Agrokor case, where one acts as if nothing had happened. Money was spent. My programme calls for fast justice, for dealing with cases faster... to restore citizens' trust," he said.
In addition to Dragičević and Kalabrić, the Judiciary Committee will today also hear the other two candidates for the post - High Criminal Court president Ivan Turudić and Split County Deputy Prosecutor Nikša Wagner.
Turudić: Citizens' trust in the judiciary had been seriously undermined and that the existing situation should be repaired as soon as possible
Judge Turudić started presenting his programme by saying that of the 778 deputy prosecutor's posts, 181 were vacant, and that this was one of the reasons why the judiciary was slow and inefficient.
Vesna Nađ (Social Democrats) wanted to know if Turudić supported a work-to-rule Croatian judges plan to go on if their salaries are not raised.
Turudić said that he supported their demands because they demanded wage indexation but that he did not support the work-to-rule, considering it inappropriate for judges.
Asked by MP Hrvoje Zekanović (HDS) about information leaks from investigations, Turudić recalled that amendments to the Penal Code were in the process of adoption and that investigations had become non-public and inquiries had remained secret in line with a decision by the Constitutional Court. "One is now fixing the current situation. As for the change of the paragraph, I think it is alright," he said.
Asked by Stipe Mlinarić (Homeland Movement) what he intended to do with regard to the prosecution of documented war crimes, Turudić said that he agreed that not enough had been done in that regard.
"I will carefully study all reports because I am sensitive to the issue of war crimes as much as you are," he said.
Asked by Anka Mrak Taritaš (GLAS) to present his short-term plan for the improvement of the justice system, Turudić said that citizens' trust in the judiciary had been seriously undermined and that the existing situation should be repaired as soon as possible.
"It sounds as a slogan, but I do not have a more suitable answer," he added.
Speaking about the reason for running for the post, Turudić said that he was guided by the common good and that he did not have any financial motives.
Arsen Bauk (SDP) asked if Turudić would run as a judge or as a politician considering his earlier statements regarding the HDZ.
"I was never a member of the HDZ... when the HDZ came into power in 1990, I joined in preparations for the war, I became a judge on 1 June 1991. Naturally the HDZ had an effect on me becoming a judge. I was appointed Justice Minister in 1998 in the Zlatko Mateša government. I don't see what is controversial about my being defined by the HDZ," he said, noting that he was resilient to any kind of political pressure "although many of you are telling the media that that is not the case."
We Can! MPs Urša Raukar and Sandra Benčić wanted to know about his socialising with football executive Zdravko Mamić, a fugitive from the Croatian judiciary.
Turudić said that he never kept secret that he had known Mamić for more than 30 years, adding that he could not have guessed the direction his life would go into. He said that Mamić sent him a Christmas message, and he reciprocated. "I should not have done that? I think it's a matter of mental hygiene," he said.
Benčić reminded him that he admitted that former state secretary Josipa Rimac had asked him to expedite a case and that he told her that that was not possible.
"You said that you do not remember whom the case concerned and I am asking you if it concerned (Construction Minister Branko) Bačić's brother?" Benčić asked.
"I was telling the truth. I met with her as court president, at her request. I stopped the conversation after I asked if she was talking about that case," he said.
Zagreb Law School professor Zlata Đurđević asked Turudić to explain rumours that as the Zagreb County Court president, Turudić belittled, insulted and intimidated his colleagues. "You said yourself that those are rumours. I won't comment on rumours. I, too, have heard all kinds of rumours about you but I won't talk about them," he said.
Asked by Bridge MP Nikola Grmoja if, considering the documents and evidence made public, he would have the courage to launch proceedings against PM Andrej Plenković and his closest associates, Turudić said that during his possible term, nobody would be framed or protected.
Wagner: DORH should not complain but manage
Presenting his programme, Wagner said there was a crisis in running the Office of the State Attorney-General (DORH) and that the committee must choose someone to represent DORH in a dignified, expert and fair manner.
Dalija Orešković (SSIP) asked how he would deal with possible obstructions in his work. Wagner said one must take a firm stand.
Speaking of the situation in DORH, he said people would not do a good job if they were not motivated, that the leader's role was important and that there should be optimism. "DORH is not a service which should always complain. We should manage with what we have."
After hearing the programmes of all four applicants, the committee supported them all. Earlier today, the committee heard attorney Mladen Dragičević and deputy state attorney general Emilijo Kalabrić.
The government has accepted a proposal to form a commission that will nominate the next state attorney general. The commission will comprise Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Deputy PM Anja Šimpraga, Justice Minister Ivan Malenica, Physical Planning, Construction and State Assets Minister Branko Bačić, Interior Minister Davor Božinović, War Veterans Minister Tomo Medved, Economy Minister Damir Habijan and Finance Minister Marko Primorac. They will talk with all four applicants.