\u201cIn my opinion, the Constitutional Court is very poorly structured with overly extensive powers that are being abused politically. I hope that this new composition will forget what happened before, that it will act in accordance with the Constitution, that it will interpret its powers more narrowly,\u201d said the President of the Republic Zoran Milanovi\u0107 in Vara\u017edin today, commenting on the election of new constitutional judges that should take place in the Croatian Parliament on Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
President Milanovi\u0107 stated that Croatia needs a Constitutional Court for presidential elections because, without it and the right to appeal, the electoral process cannot be fully carried out. Commenting on the political agreement between the Government and the opposition regarding the appointment of judges, President Milanovi\u0107 emphasized that this represents a \u201cpolitical division of the court, which is a political rather than a legal body.\u201d He added, \u201cThis is essentially a matter of political agreement. I personally took part in the constitutional amendments that introduced this supermajority requirement of two-thirds for the election of constitutional judges.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
President Milanovi\u0107 also emphasized that extending the mandate of Constitutional Court judges whose terms have expired is out of the question. \u201cNeither I nor they have that authority. Only the Parliament can do that \u2013 not the President, and certainly not judges who are not elected by the citizens,\u201d the President stated. He added that he wished the nominees \u201call the best, that they may be honourable, exemplary, and upright constitutional judges.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When asked whether he believes this convocation will perform better and if the new constitutional judges will work differently, President Milanovi\u0107 said: \u201cThese are mostly new constitutional judges, and I want it to be that way. I know some of them, and from some, I expect absolutely nothing. It is disheartening for Croatia that, according to clear political criteria, the HDZ has a designated room in its headquarters for the President of the Constitutional Court. That will be Bo\u0161njakovi\u0107. It is somewhat sad and, in any case, damaging to the reputation of the court and the execution of its constitutional role for it to act as some kind of super-body,\u201d the President stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn the end, it all came down to division \u2013 this is a division of territory. That is not good, but there is no other way,\u201d said President Milanovi\u0107, announcing that the oath of office for the new constitutional judges will be held immediately after they are elected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI will not go to Paris for the reopening of Notre Dame but will dedicate that day to this instead. Immediately tomorrow, after the vote,\u201d announced President Milanovi\u0107, who had been scheduled to attend the ceremonial reopening of the renovated Notre Dame in Paris on Saturday, at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cIn my opinion, the Constitutional Court is very poorly structured with overly extensive powers that are being abused politically. I hope that this new composition will forget what happened before, that it will act in accordance with the Constitution, that it will interpret its powers more narrowly,\u201d said the President of the Republic Zoran Milanovi\u0107 in Vara\u017edin today, commenting on the election of new constitutional judges that should take place in the Croatian Parliament on Saturday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":35233,"template":"","news-cat":[12],"class_list":["post-35251","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-cat-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n