The bill does not refer to the May local elections, or to the current budgetary year and it would be best to withdraw it, Zvonko Mrsic of the SDP said in a debate on amendments to the law on local and regional self-government units.
Under the amendments, 22 towns would be given more powers and the status of big cities -- along with all county capitals the same status would be granted to cities with the population of more than 40,000 people, namely Pula and Velika Gorica.
Why raise the limit to 40,000 people, when towns with the population of 30,000 already have a special status, Mrsic said.
The opposition, namely the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS), hailed the government's assurances that the bill represented a step forward in the decentralisation process, but it also demanded that the transfer of powers be followed by the transfer of money from the state to local levels.
The Opposition used the bill to remind the public about the unfulfilled electoral promises that citizens would be able to directly elect prefects, mayors and municipal leaders.
Parliament will continue discussing the amendments this afternoon.