The Sabor then became a place where crucial decisions important for Croatia's future were made.
Bebic recalled that some of those important decisions were the promulgation of the Christmas Constitution, the constitutional decision on Croatia's sovereignty and independence, and the decision on severing state and constitutional ties with the then Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY).
That is why 30 May 1990 will be written in the golden book of Croatia's history in order to point out the fundamental role of the Croatian parliament, as a legislative body and the highest body representing all citizens of Croatia, Bebic added.
He said that through many centuries, except in the period from 1918 to 1941, the Sabor was the guardian and an expression of the sovereignty of the Croatian nation, although Croatia was part of various state communities in its eventful past.
"In the Second World War, this role was taken over by ZAVNOH (the National Anti-Fascist Council of the National Liberation of Croatia) in its capacity as the parliament, when it made its famous decisions in 1943, laying the foundation stone for the country's sovereignty, contrary to the declaration of the Independent State of Croatia in 1941," Bebic said referring to the high legislative body of the partisans and to the Nazi-style NDH.
The Deputy Speaker also said that during the Communist rule from 1945 to 1990, the Sabor existed more symbolically, transmitting decisions made by the Communist Party.
The present-day Sabor focuses primarily on the elaboration of the legislative system with an aim of reaching standards of a democracy. The lion's share of the current tasks is to adjust the national legislation to the acquis communautaire of the European Union with which Croatia opened membership talks nine months ago, Bebic said.
Present at the session were envoys of the heads of state and government and VIPs from the political, economic, cultural and religious circles.