CROATIAN PARLIAMENT OPENS DEBATE ON FAMILY BILL

ZAGREB, Jan 30(Hina) - The Croatian Parliament opened its session on Friday with a debate on a government proposal to amend the Law on Family under urgent procedure and delay the application of provisions under which courts would take over jurisdiction in family matters from social welfare centres.#L# The proposed amendments were presented by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Family and War Veterans' Affairs and Inter-Generation Solidarity, Jadranka Kosor, who said that the delay was proposed because courts were not yet prepared to take over work from social welfare centres. Under the existing law, the social welfare centres should have left legal disputes (mainly relating to cases of parental negligence, care for children with behavioural disorders and establishing maternity) to courts by January 22 this year. The government proposes that the application of those provisions be postponed to avoid problems in the child protection system, Kosor said. The draft amendments proposed that the previous definition of the term "mother", as a woman who gave birth, be restored. The government also proposed that the provision allowing marriage between cousins be annulled because it was not in accordance with Croatian cultural tradition, Kosor said. The amendments are to be discussed by parliamentary clubs of deputies. (Hina) vm sb