Cablegate: Zagreb Daily Report - January 25, 2010

VZCZCXRO6888
PP RUEHIK
DE RUEHVB #0050 0251202
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251202Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9844
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS ZAGREB 000050

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL HR
SUBJECT: Zagreb Daily Report - January 25, 2010

1. (U) Chief State Prosecutor to be reappointed:
Media are reporting that Croatian Chief State Prosecutor Mladen
Bajic is almost assured reappointment after the heads of all parties
in the governing coalition expressed their support over the weekend.
That should ensure Bajic a majority of votes despite the
announcement of Zoran Milanovic, leader of the opposition Social
Democratic Party, that the SDP would oppose Bajic's nomination
because of Bajic's failure to speak out against alleged political
influence in the past to not aggressively pursue investigations of
high-level corruption. In discussing these stories, several
newspaper commentaries praised Bajic's anticorruption efforts of the
past six months and argued that Bajic's continued efforts are
crucial to opening negotiations with the EU on issues under Chapter
23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights). This would be Bajic's third
four-year term.

FOLEY

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