Visit of a Delegation of the Ministry for Justice of Croatia in Paris

Croatia must join the European Union soon. To respect the many criteria imposed on the applicant countries, important preliminary structural reforms must be accomplished. Justice does not escape these reforms. It is within this framework that was held this visit, organized by the Service of the European and international Affairs (SAEI) of the ministry for justice of France. This visit was carried out in coordination with the French Embassy in Zagreb from which it is necessary to greet the investment and the perfect coordination with the UIHJ.

The Croatian delegation was made up of Drazen Bosnjakovic, Secretary of State at the Minister for justice, Mirjana Cacic, director of the civil law at the ministry for justice, Vesna Zulj, chief of the service of regulations at the Directorate of civil law of the ministry for justice and Mirjana Matov, special adviser at the Directorate of civil law of the ministry for justice. The delegation was also accompanied by Philippe Dorcet, liaison magistrate within the interdepartmental Regional pole of Zagreb, and of Mrs. Carrara d' Angely, interpreter.

On 15 December the delegation went to Versailles in the office of Mathieu Chardon, 1st secretary of the UIHJ. Our fellow-member thus could present in a concrete way the various aspects of the occupation of judicial officer such as it exists in France. On 16 December, the delegation met the representatives of the French National Chamber of judicial officers (CNHJ) and its president, Guy Duvelleroy. A total presentation of the profession and its specificities was made. Mr. Bosnjakovic showed that he knew the French system very well and that he was concerned about looking further into his knowledge.

At midday, a lunch was organized on the premises with the representatives of the CNHJ and the UIHJ, represented by its president, Jacques Isnard, and the members of his board. President Isnard could get information about the last evolutions of the situation in Croatia as regards judicial officers and reforms of the legal system. He declared himself satisfied of the direction to which seemed to turn the Croatian authorities, while particularly being interested in the model of the French judicial officer.