Malenica: Government will appoint a commissioner to run Split

Justice and Public Administration Minister Ivan Malenica said on Tuesday that residents of Split were hostages to Mayor Ivica Puljak, repeating the ministry's position that the government appoints a commissioner to run a city when its mayor and their deputy resign.

The minister said the appointment of a commissioner, their role and powers were clearly defined by the Local and Regional Government Act, reiterating that if a mayor and their deputy resign, the government appoints a commissioner and elections have to be called within 90 days.

Responding to reporters' queries earlier in the day, the ministry cited Article 40d of the Local and Regional Government Act and the interpretation of its amendments.

Malenica said that the intention of the amendments in 2012 was not for a second deputy mayor to be able to stand in for the mayor in case the mayor and their deputy resign.

"That is stated clearly in the interpretation of the amendments," the minister said, noting that the government would appoint a commissioner for Split under the procedure defined by the relevant law.

"I would wait for the resignations to be tendered, because over the past seven days resignations were announced and now it is not certain who will resign, whether both deputy mayors will resign or only one, and whether city councillors will resign," the minister said, claiming that Split residents were hostages to Puljak and his interpretations of the law.

As for reporters' claims that no constitutional law expert agreed with what he was saying, because the law is specific as to what happens if deputy mayors resign within the first two years of their term or after that, Malenica said that their position was the same both if one or both deputies resign.

He agreed that the situation in Split sets a precedent.

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