ZAGREB, Jan 30(Hina) - At the end of its third session on Friday evening, Croatia's parliament appointed six members of the seven-member commission in charge of preventing conflict of interest in the ranks of state officials and
office-holders.
ZAGREB, Jan 30(Hina) - At the end of its third session on Friday
evening, Croatia's parliament appointed six members of the
seven-member commission in charge of preventing conflict of interest
in the ranks of state officials and office-holders.#L#
The six members are Marija Bajt of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)
and Djurdja Adlesic of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) as
representatives of the parliamentary majority, Antun Kapraljevic of
the Croatian People's Party (HNS) as a representative of the
opposition, and three external members: Zeljko Horvatic, Davor
Derencinovic and Petar Marija Radelj.
Eighty four (84) deputies from the ranks of the HDZ, HSLS, the
Democratic Centre (DC), the HNS, the Croatian Party of Pensioners
(HSU), independent PM Ivo Loncar and two ethnic minority MPs voted for
their appointment. Furio Radin representing the Italian minority voted
against, while three MPs of the Independent Democratic Serb Party
(SDSS) abstained.
Other opposition deputies walked out of the session during the
voting.
Opposition MPs criticised the HDZ for failing to respect good
parliamentary customs and practice when it turned a deaf ear to the
proposal of five opposition parties and two clubs of parties included
into the parliamentary majority to appoint Tonci Tadic of the Croatian
Party of Rights (HSP) to the commission, given that he initiated the
law on prevention of the conflicts of interest.
A part of the opposition pointed the finger at the HNS for making it
possible for the HDZ to elect an opposition member to the commission
who was not proposed by a large part of opposition parties.
Dragutin Lesar of the HNS said that in the light of the fact that it
was the third largest parliamentary party and the second largest
opposition party, the HNS should have its representative in the said
commission.
Luka Babic of the HDZ refuted criticism that his party's behaviour was
contrary to good customs of parliamentarism, saying that the former
parliament used to turn down proposals of HDZ candidates for positions
in important parliamentary committees.
Slaven Letica, independent MP who won the seat on an HSP slate, agreed
with him, but added that this occurrence should be ascribed to the
"traumatised experiences of members of parliament" and called on the
HDZ to stop this practice. "Children who were beaten by their fathers
usually beat their own children," Letica said, adding that Tadic
should be elected as member of the commission.
The third session of the new Sabor lasted from 27 to 30 January.
(Hina) ms sb