Zagreb, 12 January 2010 – At today’s meeting of the Social and Economic Council (GSV) the social partners have unanimously supported two acts and a decree which continue the judiciary reform.

As reported by the Minister of Judiciary Ivan Šimonović after the meeting, Croatia started far-reaching judiciary reforms which require broad social coalition with the participation of trade unions and employers.

The new Act on Administrative Procedures strengthens the court control over executive authorities and that is one of the foundations of legal state, said Šimonović. The authority of administrative courts will be extended, they will now be courts of second instance – we will have four regional administrative courts in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka and Osijek and a high administrative court of second instance.

The Economic and Social Council also supported the proposals which additionally improves the system of free legal aid – forms for free legal aid will be made simpler, the contribution for assistance providers will be increased but the Ministry of Judiciary stays within the budget, pointed out Šimonović.

The representative of the Croatian Employers’ Association Ivica Mudrinić pointed out the importance of the Agency for Vocational Training and Education of Adults for the establishment of national infrastructure for promotion of economy.

The participants of the meeting agreed to hold, in due time, another meeting about the reform of the judiciary.