President Zoran Milanovic reiterated on Friday that the behaviour of the new State Attorney-General Ivan Turudic has disqualified him for any public office in the judiciary. He commented on the decision of the Judicial Council of the Supreme Criminal Court (VKS) that Turudic's meetings with football mogul Zdravko Mamic were not contestable.

The Council of Judges of the Supreme Criminal Court (VKS) has rejected a request by the President of the VKS, Zeljko Horvatovic, to initiate proceedings for violation of the Code of Judicial Ethics against Ivan Turudic, until recently a judge at this Court of Appeal, who will take office as State Attorney-General on Monday.

“Great, these are judges for you,” Milanovic said sarcastically in a statement to the press after an official meeting of the Sveta Nedelja City Council, which he attended.

“The HDZ presidential candidate is a person whose job it will be to put us to sleep”

“Fortunately, we all know what happened, after such actions he can remain a member of Cosa Nostra. This is probably the basis for some kind of initiation ritual, this kind of behaviour. What Turudic did… disqualifies him for any public role in the judiciary, he can not do that anymore,” Milanovic said.

“This group from this court, which was unconstitutionally and completely unnecessarily established in collusion with the HDZ party, considers what Turudic did to be in collusion with the HDZ,” he said.

Transport Minister Oleg Butkovic said that his candidacy for president was not ruled out, and Milanovic said that whoever the HDZ candidate was, he would be the party’s representative.

“The HDZ presidential candidate is a person whose task will be to put us to sleep. So that we do not enquire, do not think, do not protest and think that everything is nice and pleasant for us, so that the theft can continue,” Milanovic said.

He also noted that Oleg was a “beautiful Russian name”, and he wondered “if there is anyone among them who does not have a Russian name”.