The Croatian Government has capitulated and thrown ashes on itself before the European Commission. In a joint statement after the meeting at the Commission, Minister of Justice Orsat Miljenić and Vice-President of the Commission Viviane Reding announced the achievement of an agreement regarding the controversial ‘lex Perković’.
In short, Croatia has agreed to implement the changes requested by the Commission no later than January 1, 2014, quickly and unconditionally as Reding has insisted all along. This, among other things, means that all time limits on the execution of the European Arrest Warrant will be abolished (the changes in June set August 7, 2002, as the date of the commission of the criminal offense). The changes to the law are going into urgent procedure with January 1 of next year as the final deadline.
The issue is no longer related to constitutional changes, and when asked by journalists why Croatia decided to go against European legal acquis by changing the law already aligned with the European Arrest Warrant in June, Minister Miljenić actually refused to comment, responding only that it is a long story and that the important thing now is the solution. According to Reding, however, the procedure initiated last week that opened the possibility for the Commission to impose sanctions on Croatia has not been automatically interrupted by this, and consultations with member states will still take place until the set deadline of October 5.
In other words, the sword will remain over Croatia’s head just in case, but apparently, the conflict between the Commission and Croatia has come to an end, with Croatia coming out on the better side. ‘The Commission will closely monitor the process. What we now expect is that the minister’s announcement we just heard will be translated into concrete action, that is, law,’ said Reding.
