Jandroković sent back Milanović’s draft decision after identifying some shortcomings.
Milanović said that Jandroković put his recommendation for the Supreme Court candidate “in a drawer,” underscoring that Jandroković has no right to do so.
“He has no right to do that, whatever the HDZ majority in the Committee on the Constitution, thinks,” Milanović told reporters in Požega after attending an oath giving ceremony by the 29th generation of volunteer army recruits.
Only thing protecting Jandroković from consequences is his immunity
Milanović said that the Speaker had done something he is not allowed to and the “only thing protecting him from the consequences is his immunity.”
“He stole the document I sent to the parliament and allowed himself to interpret it… and assess the legality of my recommendation,” claimed Milanović, adding that only the parliament can decide on the legality of something and not Jandroković.
“In future too he or anyone else can do what they want with documents and proposals. That is (ruling party) HDZ’s message to parliament and its partners in the government… and if they want to agree to Jandroković shelving issues at his discretion and conducting a legislative analysis of a proposal’s admissibility, let them do so. That is the road to tyranny,” underscored Milanović.
Jandroković has privatised the position of Parliament Speaker
Milanović called out Jandroković for “privatising the position of Parliament Speaker,” which the “HDZ majority in the parliamentary Committee on the Constitution gave him the right to do.”
Milanović underscored that his recommendation for president of the Supreme Court, Zlata Đurđević, is a good choice, reiterating his stance that a public call for applications for the position is not transparent and that he as the president of the country has the authority to recommend a candidate.
“If you don’t like it, abolish it, but it exists – all my authority and duty is to make a recommendation and I did so and that is the most transparent way possible. The public call is not transparent. Hundreds of Croatian lawyers are perhaps scared and don’t want to participate in a travesty… Professor Đurđević is my candidate. Reject her, I dare you!” said Milanović.
He also commented on criticism by some constitutional law experts of his refusing to support one of the candidates that applied for the position, saying that these were people who wish to become Constitutional Court judges and are just waiting outside the Constitutional Court door waiting for a public call so they “can jump in.”
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