Justice Minister Orsat Miljenić presented amendments to the Criminal Code at a government session. The law is being changed, which has not yet come into force as the ministry has identified some issues that need to be addressed.
Possession of drugs for personal use will no longer be a criminal offense but an administrative offense. Those who possess drugs for personal use will now face a fine of five to twenty thousand kuna and may be subjected to treatment measures. There is also a drastic tightening of measures for dealers and manufacturers of drugs. Dealing around schools can be punished with up to 15 years in prison. Illegal gambling will no longer be an administrative offense. People who engage in this activity should go to prison, the minister stated.
Anyone who fails to report a committed criminal offense will also be held accountable. Lawyers and confessors must report planned criminal offenses. The new Criminal Code also introduces stronger criminal law protection for children, especially for crimes of sexual exploitation and abuse of children. Families must report family members if they are aware that they have committed a criminal offense to the detriment of a child.
