Kalmeta dismissed MPs' claims that the draft maritime code was a copy of the existing code, stressing that the government proposed changing 70 percent of the current provisions.
He said representatives of his ministry would meet representatives of the seamen's union before the second reading of the bill in an attempt to meet their demands.
Replying to MPs' remarks that the draft maritime code contained no provisions on the coastal guard, Kalmeta said the government had set up a coordinating body comprised of representatives of eight ministries, which would become operational on October 3 and in the following six months supervise Croatian territorial waters. He added that after this six-month period the government would draw up a separate coastal guard bill.