Croatian State Attorney Dražen Jelenić Resigns

ZAGREB, (Patria) - Chief State Attorney Dražen Jelenić submitted a request to the Government on Wednesday to be relieved of his duties, which he held from April 24, 2018, Al Jazeera reporter Nikolina Zavišić reported.

In a statement to the media, Jelenić stated that from day one he performed his duties "with pride, dedication, professionalism, and honesty, guided in his work solely by the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Croatia, preserving the independence of the State Attorney's Office.".

He added that he had acted in the same manner throughout his 28 years of work in the State Attorney's Office, Zavišić reported.

"In recent days, insinuations have appeared in public regarding my membership in a Masonic association. This membership in a legal association has in no way affected the performance of my duties, but these accusations have burdened the further performance of the duties of the Chief State Attorney of the Republic of Croatia to such an extent that it has practically become impossible. At the same time, in the desire not to transfer this burden to the entire State Attorney's Office, I assessed that in the circumstances, resigning from the position of head of the entire state attorney organization is the only moral and responsible solution.

Therefore, today I submitted a request to the Government of the Republic of Croatia to be relieved of the duties of the Chief State Attorney of the Republic of Croatia.

Although with the act of resignation my term as Chief State Attorney of the Republic of Croatia ends earlier, I leave this duty with a peaceful and clear conscience," Jelenić stated, Hina reports.