The Croatian parliament on Friday adopted the Law on Judicial Cooperation with the European Union in Criminal Matters, dubbed 'Lex Perkovic' in the public after the proposed amendments to the legislation caused controversy in political circles and the public over the past few days.
Opposition Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) MPs walked out of the Sabor prior to the vote with an explanation that they did not wish to participate in the coup against the rule-of-law.
The law was nevertheless adopted with 78 MPs from the governing majority voting for the law and six opposing it.
The government rejected amendments submitted by independent MP Jadranka Kosor who urged that a narrowed time frame to implement the institution of the European Arrest Warrant be omitted.
The law specifies that the EAW refers to crimes committed after August 2002.
The new law has been dubbed Lex Perkovic as opponents of the changed legislation believe that the time limits for the application of the EAW have been introduced by the government in a bid to prevent the extradition of former Yugoslav intelligence agent Josip Perkovic, a Croatian national wanted in Germany on charges of having masterminded the political killing of a Croat in Bavaria in 1983.
