Miljenić and Maras in SDP’s Ultimatum Regarding the Commission and the Election of Constitutional Judges

The President of the SDP Parliamentary Club, Arsen Bauk, announced on Friday that he will propose that the president of the investigative commission for Agrokor be Orsat Miljenić, and another member from the SDP quota, Gordan Maras.

If the ruling party rejects them, there will be neither a commission nor elections for constitutional judges, he said.

He also stated that the SDP Club will propose an amendment and that after consultations with other opposition parties regarding the ninth member of the commission, both the investigative commission and three judges of the Constitutional Court could be voted on as early as today. He reiterated that the SDP does not find it problematic to propose former ministers because, he emphasizes, “our ministers have nothing to be ashamed of in that commission.”

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He did not want to comment on the information that the initial proposal of the party president Davor Bernardić was for the commission to be led by Franko Vidović, stating that Miljenić and Maras are Bernardić’s proposals which the Club accepted without discussion.

He added that there was also “the possibility for all 36 representatives to be presidents of the commission.”

“Gordan Maras is questioning witness Gordan Maras”

When asked what will happen with HDZ’s stance that they do not want former ministers in the commission, Bauk said that then HDZ will not vote for them, so there will be no commission, nor new constitutional judges.

When asked if it is appropriate for former ministers to be members of the commission, he responded with a counter-question: “What? Should we put yellow ribbons on them?”

The possibility of being called as witnesses and the situation of finding themselves in a conflict of interest due to their former positions was accompanied by the comment that the commission will decide who will be witnesses and that there is a clear procedure in that case. After all, the ruling party has a majority, can decide on everything, and can call de facto anyone before the commissions.

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Can he imagine a situation where commission member Gordan Maras questions witness Gordan Maras, journalists asked, to which Bauk said he believes that this is not possible according to the Rules of Procedure and the law.

If the Parliament elects Maras as a member of the commission, he will be, and if he is not elected, then he will not be, he stated.

Regarding the voting on constitutional judges, Bauk said that it is clear what requires a smaller majority and what can be elected earlier, and that it is known who can obstruct both the work of the commission and the election of constitutional judges after the elections. HDZ, along with its partners, has a majority in the commission and they will direct the work of the commission, and that is a sufficient mechanism for them to prevent what Cvitan said he believes will not happen, which is influence on the work of investigative bodies, Bauk said.

We will propose, he announced, in accordance with the agreement with HDZ, that the commission “starts working at full capacity on October 30.”