14. 10. 2006

MILOŠEVIĆ-ERA JUDGE APPOINTED TO RIK

BELGRADE, October 14, 2006 (Politika) - A judge known for implementing the notorious 1998 Information Law was named member of the Referendum Committee. Dobrivoje Glavonjić was appointed president of the Procurement Commission for the constitutional referendum within the State Election Commission (RIK). Glavonjić, now a lawyer, was in the late 1990’s the judge presiding over a court implementing the Information Law, used to impose draconic fines on non-regime media. He was proposed for the RIK position by the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS). Former Commercial Court president Milica Arežina claimed that on October 6, 2000, Glavonjić switched sides and organized crisis committees to intimidate judges from the Milošević era. However, after nearly a year, he was relieved of his duties, along with a number of judges and court presidents suspected of having manipulated political processes. He then started working as a lawyer. The State Election Commission believes the media is overreacting to Glavonjić’s appointment, stressing he has been entrusted with a technical job, and that his parliamentary group, just like all the others, has the right to propose RIK members. The Commission characterizes looking back and reexamining the past a “media witch-hunt”.