President of the Republic Attends City of Sisak Day Celebrations
On the occasion of City of Sisak Day, the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović participated in the formal session of the City Council of the City of Sisak held in the Old Town fortress. He noted that Sisak played a major role in Croatian history and that Europe was defended here. He said that adjusting to a new era is painful after 30 years of stagnation, and concluded that Sisak has nevertheless had a makeover since it is more orderly and tidy, and its citizens have more reasons to live here.
Commenting on the Prime Minister’s statement on the State Attorney Office’s message which, without going into details, refers to Article 6 of the State Attorney’s Act, is not intended for him but instead for the President of the Republic who recently stated that the State Attorney is the Prime Minister’s choice, President Milanović replied: “The State Attorney’s Office should have said to whom today’s message was addressed”.
“The State Attorney was elected by a majority vote in Parliament, therefore she is a person of trust of the Prime Minister, and not his operative. However, I have commented on leakage of information, it was not criticism intended for the State Attorney’s Office. The State Attorney’s Office has undertaken what I would have done in the same place when an investigation is jeopardized. When it was apparent that the investigation was leading to someone more interesting, the measures were compromised and the State Attorney’s Office had no choice. What has been leaked to the media will certainly be evidence in court. I didn’t give any instructions to the State Attorney’s Office”, President Milanović said, and added: “I think that the message was addressed to Prime Minister Plenković. If I didn’t comment on the work of the State Attorney’s Office when I was Prime Minister, why would I do that now, when I have no power. Statements with elements that incite are dangerous. I only have constitutional duties in matters of Croatia’s national security and defense”, President Milanović noted.
Asked to comment on the decision by the High Misdemeanour Court [Visoki prekršajni sud] whereby the salute “Za dom spremni” [For the Homeland] in the song “Čavoglave” of Marko Perković Thompson is not an offense and cannot be subsumed under the legal definition of an offense under the “Zakon o prekršajima protiv javnog reda i mira” [Offenses against Public Order andPeace Act], President Milanović replied that he has not seen the Court’s decision, but that he finds it strange.
“This should have been resolved more clearly in criminal law, however, one should not go to prison for that, and I will not get involved. This should be a criminal offense, for which one should get a suspended sentence or a warning, but in this way judges are in a stupid situation, which places a heavy burden on them”, President Milanović said.
He estimated that “in this way the Croatian police will be confused because they will not know what to do. Article 5 of the “Zakon o prekršajima protiv javnog reda i mira” [Offenses against Public Order and Peace Act] is ambiguous and should be amended”, President Milanović stated.
