Milanović Declines to Nominate Supreme Court President

The news in Croatian

1. imenovati
   dati osobi službeni položaj ili ulogu putem formalnog postupka ↩︎
2. kandidat  (m.)
   osoba koja se natječe ili predložena za neku dužnost ili nagradu ↩︎
3. prijaviti
   službeno obavijestiti ili registrirati sebe ili drugu osobu za nešto ↩︎
4. sud  (m.)
   institucija koja se bavi pravdom i rješava pravne sporove ↩︎
5. djelovati
   raditi ili funkcionirati na određen način ↩︎
6. tenzija  (f.)
   stanje napetosti ili stresa u odnosima između ljudi ili skupina ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Who applied for the position of Supreme Court president?

Question 2: Why is the Supreme Court operating with an acting president?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
imenovati	appoint
kandidat  (m.)	candidate
prijaviti	register
sud  (m.)	court
djelovati	operate
tenzija  (f.)	tensions

Read the full story

In a decision that extends the current institutional deadlock, Croatian President Zoran Milanović announced he will not propose a candidate for the position of Supreme Court President. This announcement follows a public call for applications issued on 6th July 2025, which attracted only one applicant, Professor Aleksandra Maganić from the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Law.

According to the statement from the President’s Office, Milanović has decided against nominating anyone from the public call to the Croatian Parliament. Consequently, the President will not seek opinions from the Committee on Justice of the Croatian Parliament or the Supreme Court itself. Although the Croatian Constitution mandates the President as the sole authorized nominator for this position, the opinions from these bodies are advisory rather than binding.

The vacancy for the head of the Supreme Court arose following the death of the former chief justice, Radovan Dobronić, in March 2025. The court is currently operating under an acting head due to the prolonged impasse, which stems from failed attempts to fill the position amid political disagreements. A previous candidate, Sandra Artuković Kunšt, was rejected by parliament, leading to her withdrawal from consideration in subsequent calls.

President Milanović’s decision not to nominate Maganić is seen as a continuation of the political standoff with the parliamentary majority led by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). The ongoing dispute has seen Milanović’s earlier nomination struck down, while his suggestions continue to encounter resistance. Despite her recognized expertise and perceived potential to bridge political divides, Maganić did not meet Milanović’s critierias.

In response to this unresolved situation, the State Judicial Council will be required to issue yet another public call to fill this crucial judicial vacancy. The chair of the Supreme Court, a pivotal role in Croatia’s judiciary, remains unoccupied, thus upholding a status quo that reflects broader political tensions between the President and the governing party.

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