During a discussion on a motion by the Croatian People's Party (HNS) for the establishment of an agency for managing and monitoring the coastal area and the sea, Sabor Speaker Vladimir Seks asked the present deputies to raise their hands and thus vote for the opinion of the said committee. Opposition MPs walked out of the hall, and the remaining 69 deputies from the parliamentary majority okayed the opinion.
After that, opposition MPs returned to the hall.
During the debate on the HNS motion, Sea and Transport Minister Bozidar Kalmeta rejected the proposal branding it as being contrary to several existent laws and requiring too much funds.
Vesna Pusic of the HNS said that the coastal area and the islands are national riches which should be managed in a unified and systematic manner.
After the debate on the HNS motion, the Sabor wrapped up today's work.
Earlier in the day, it discussed a bill proposed by the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) on Homeland War veterans' rights.
Nearly every club of deputies in the parliament said that the HSP's bill was unfeasible and unfounded from a budgetary point of view, but endorsed some of the bill's ideas. Both the ruling and the opposition parties said the funds required for the implementation of the law, as proposed by the HSP, would burden the national budget.
Most MPs suggested waiting for the government's bill on the matter and discussing both at the same time.
On Wednesday afternoon, opposition MPs supported a bill moved by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on changes to the law on legal services stipulating free services of lawyers to the needy on matters important for their social status. Representatives of the ruling party (HDZ ) rejected the proposal.
On Thursday, the Sabor will hold a special session on the occasion of Independence Day which Croatia celebrates on 8 October, marking the watershed decision of the Croatian parliament 13 years ago to sever constitutional ties with the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
President Stjepan Mesic and Prime Minister Ivo Sanader are expected to attend the session.