The number of pending cases in the Croatian judiciary dropped from 1.6 million seven or eight years ago to 350,000 at the end of 2018, Justice Minister Drazen Bosnjakovic said on Tuesday.

He was speaking at a conference at which a HRK 91 million project to enhance the justice system was presented. Eighty-five percent of the financing comes from the European Social Fund and the project is aimed at ensuring a more efficient, more modern and more professional judiciary.

Bosnjakovic said the procurement of quality equipment had enhanced processes in the judiciary and that it comprised 800 devices which convert speech to text, 2,100 desk top computers, 500 laptops, 600 printers and 150 scanners.

Labour Minister Josip Aladrovic said HRK 195 million from the European Social Fund had been secured to enhance the judiciary and that HRK 140 million was being spent to digitise the judiciary and the land registry and to enhance the efficiency of probation and prison officers.

“The objective is to shorten the duration of court proceedings and to make case solving more efficient,” he said.