NEW JUSTICE MINISTER PUSHES FOR REFORM RESULTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ZAGREB 000348

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SCE, CA/OCS/ACS, EUR/OHI, AND L/LEI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KJUS CASC CJAN HR
SUBJECT: NEW JUSTICE MINISTER PUSHES FOR REFORM RESULTS


Classified By: Poloff Justin Friedman, reasons 1.4 (b) & (d)


1. (C) SUMMARY and COMMENT: In a March 2 introductory call on
new Justice Minister Ana Lovrin, Ambassador Frank urged the
continuation of Croatia,s ambitious judicial reform program.
Lovrin said that the judicial reforms started by her
predecessor would be continued, and that she expected to see
good results by the end of the current government mandate in
mid-2007. She cautioned that given the level of
transformation sought by her program, more than one
government mandate would be needed to complete the process.
To her credit, one of Lovrin,s first actions as Minister was
to reject all candidates for chief justice of the High
Commercial Court. Public attention on this decision was
intense, particularly after the leading candidate, Nenad
Sepic, was charged with corrupt practices in dealing with a
bankruptcy case but the State Judicial Council declined to
revoke his immunity to allow the case to be prosecuted. END
SUMMARY and COMMENT.


2. (SBU) Ambassador Frank raised the issue of the lack of
U.S. citizen access to the GoC property restitution law.
Lovrin responded that the GoC took a policy decision, without
any requirement to do so, to resolve all claims of property
confiscated by the Communist regime. Rather than seek
individual, bilateral agreements as called for in the current
legislation, the GoC is working on legal changes that would
remove the legislative requirement for bilateral agreements
and give equal access to all claimants not previously
compensated regardless of current citizenship. The
Ambassador offered to work with the GoC once these changes
were in place to help notify American citizens who may seek
to file claims.


3. (U) Minister Lovrin said the GoC was also committed to
reforming the process of electing local governments, starting
with direct election of mayors. She said that the GoC was
studying reforms implemented by other countries, noting that
Norway took 15 years to review options before undertaking
reforms that are ongoing.


4. (U) Responding to the Ambassador,s question, Lovrin said
that the National Strategy for Combating Corruption would be
launched soon. Note: Prime Minister Sanader officially
released the Strategy at a public roundtable discussion March
10 (septel).


5. (C) BIO NOTE: Lovrin seemed comfortable and well briefed
on her new portfolio, having followed these subjects as chair
of the Sabor (parliament) committee on the Justice sector.
Lovrin appeared to fully understand English, answering
questions before they were translated. However, she did not
speak any English in this introductory call.
FRANK