The ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the People's Party (HNS), the Peasant Party (HSS) and the Party of Rights (HSP) endorsed the amendments, although their deputies urged the government to be braver and launch more extensive reforms in order to make judges more responsible.
Although the strongest opposition party, the Social Democrats (SDP), did not take part in the debate, its deputy Nenad Stazic called the proposed changes cosmetic.
Earlier today, in a debate on a bill on courts, Stazic called for stronger public supervision of the work of courts so as to prevent the recurrence of cases such as that of HSP leader Anto Djapic, who was acquitted of copying his master's degree thesis because the statute of limitations applied in the case.
The HDZ commended the government's bill on courts, notably provisions on the introduction of the right to a reasonable trial and on the transfer of cases from very busy courts to less busy ones.
The SDP said the bill was political, with no concrete measures to upgrade the effectiveness of courts. Its deputies advocated the establishment of specialised courts, notably for labour-related cases, in order to relieve other courts.