On Saturday, the 9th of December, the newspaper Dnevnik’s supplement Objektiv published an interview with the President of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia, Miodrag Đorđević. But rather than the interview itself, it was the object on the President’s desk that attracted the most attention. In the opinion of many, it does not belong on the desk of the so-called first man of the judicial branch of power, or, as a Slovenian Democratic Party (Slovenska demokratska stranka – SDS) MP wrote, “it shows the image of the times of the former totalitarian state.”
Attentive readers may have noticed in the photograph in Saturday’s supplement to Dnevnik that a pistol, specifically a Colt 45 revolver, rests on the desk of the President of the Supreme Court, Miodrag Đorđević. It is not known what the purpose of the gun is and what kind of message the President of the Supreme Court wants to convey with it, so we turned directly to the Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia for answers.
In the interview, Đorđević spoke about the new draft law on the judicial service, the Courts Act, and the amendment to the Judicial Council Act. A photograph of the President of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia in his office was also published in the supplement, showing a revolver or its replica on his desk.
Even though the President could have removed the replica of the gun from the table before the photo was taken, thus sparing any questions that might have followed, he did not do so. On the contrary, it seems to be a deliberate display of power and authority. Of course, this raises the question of the purpose and meaning of the replica revolver, because, as Slovenian Democratic Party MP Dejan Kaloh wrote in his parliamentary question, “it shows the image of the time of the former totalitarian state, continuity with the previous totalitarian state and human rights violations in trials, and it is not the symbol of justice and fairness.” He addressed his question to the Ministry of Justice.
The Office of the President of the Supreme Court requires zero tolerance in matters of independence, impartiality, transparency, integrity, and the reputation of the judiciary. The judiciary is a pillar of the rule of law and the legal state and must act as such both within and outside the institution. All of this certainly applies to Đorđević’s position, too, where the highest representative of the judicial branch of government should be concerned with the independence, impartiality, integrity and reputation of the judiciary, while at the same time “avoiding improper conduct or behaviour”.
We have thus contacted the Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia for a comment on the matter, sending them the following questions:
– What does the Supreme Court think of the fact that the President of the Supreme Court has been photographed with a replica of a firearm on his desk for an interview?
– What is the message that the President of the Supreme Court wants to convey by having a revolver on his desk, and what is its significance?
– Does the Supreme Court, as a “pillar of justice and the rule of law”, not find it controversial that the President of the Supreme Court is photographed with a firearm in the workplace (even if it is a replica)?
– Does the Supreme Court believe that such conduct guarantees the independence, impartiality, appearance of impartiality, transparency, integrity and reputation of the judiciary?
We will publish the answers when we receive them.
T. B.
