ZAGREB, August 16, 2019 – A former prime minister Zoran Milanović, who is the Social Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, on Thursday welcomed a ruling of the High Magistrates’ Court in connection with the salute “For the homeland ready”, explaining that he does not expect the ruling to become a standard as Croatia does not have the stare decisis doctrine.
“We do not have the precedent system. It is possible for every panel of judges, that is independent, to make different decisions,” Milanović said during his visit to the town of Nova Gradiška.
“‘ ‘For the homeland ready’ is the Ustasha salute of Ante Pavelić,” Milanović said adding that he would welcome any next court ruling whereby chanting this salute is fined. “I will regard other rulings to be human and political cowardice.”
As for the court practice, Milanović said that the political trends are followed too much.
He criticised the current president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović for announcing her decision to run for a second term in the newspaper “Hrvatski Tjednik” which is perceived as a media outlet that downplays the crimes committed during the Independent State of Croatia (NDH).
He said that Grabar-Kitarović’s move was wrong.
You simply do not talk with such newspapers, he said answering questions from the press.
More news about Zoran Milanović can be found in the Politics section.
