As the debate was to take place after Croatian Television ended live coverage of the session for today, IDS deputy Damir Kajin asked that it be postponed for tomorrow so it could be televised live and held in the presence of government representatives.
After Bebic refused his request, Kajin stated that this was another "blatant boycott of opposition motions, as was the case recently with a debate on the latest stand-by arrangement with the IMF", earning himself a warning by the chairman.
Most opposition clubs of deputies then requested a break. After the break, still dissatisfied with Bebic's decision, Kajin said that the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) wanted to hide from pensioners the fact that they could not expect anything from the incumbent government.
"The government cannot even draw up a proposal to establish an imaginary fund from which the debt would be paid to pensioners, let alone implement the Constitutional Court's ruling of 1998 (on the payment of the state debt to pensioners)," Kajin said, to which Bebic issued him another warning.
Kajin's remarks were supported by representatives of the Croatian People's Party (HNS) and the Social Democrats (SDP).
A break was then requested by the Peasant Party (HSS), which Bebic refused, stating that there was no reason for a break.
This explanation provoked protest from HSS leader Zlatko Tomcic, who accused Bebic of acting like a bully, while HSS deputy Ljubica Lalic requested that the Committee on the Constitution and Rules of Procedure take a stand on the matter.
The opposition deputies then walked out of the session, which Bebic described as an obvious attempt to obstruct the parliament's work and proceeded to open the debate on the IDS bill despite Kajin's refusal to introduce it.
Deputies of the Croatian Pensioners' Party (HSU) and the HDZ, who participated in the debate, accused the IDS of trying to score political points.
The session will resume on Wednesday.