Justice and Public Administration Minister Ivan Malenica on Wednesday announced changes to the Penal Code in the part referring to omissions committed by officials that affect children's rights, that is, their life and health.

“As has been said, we will amend the Penal Code,” the minister told reporters in the parliament, noting that now there is Article 173 which defines the criminal liability of an official.

He explained that amendments would be introduced to define omissions by officials that affect children’s rights, that is, their life and health.

Malenica also confirmed that a register of perpetrators of domestic violence would be compiled as would a register of such offences, which would enable the registration of offenders as soon as proceedings against them are launched.

The register will serve for authorised bodies to obtain information on criminal or misdemeanor proceedings launched so they could take certain steps to protect children’s lives and health.

More office-holders to be subject to Conflict of Interest Prevention Act

Since earlier in the day police again arrested the former CEO of the JANAF oil pipeline operator, Dragan Kovacevic, who is a suspect in the JANAF corruption affair, reporters asked Malenica if there was an additional mechanism that could be integrated in the Penal Code regarding public companies’ directors.

Malenica recalled that the government’s anti-corruption strategy envisaged measures to enhance supervision of state-owned companies and companies owned by local government units, and that there was also an anti-corruption guide.

Amendments are planned to the Conflict of Interest Prevention Act with the aim of making more office-holders subject to the obligation to fill in a declaration of assets.

“We are talking about the leading people of companies in local government units,” he said.