The law was given the thumbs-up by all 80 MPs who were present -- from the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), some of its coalition partners (the Social Liberals, the Democratic Centre, the Pensioners Party, the Independent Serb Democratic Party, and ethnic minorities), and the three HSP votes.
The opposition acted on its announcement of today that it would not take part in the vote due to how Parliament voted on the opposition's no-confidence motion in Foreign Minister Miomir Zuzul last week.
During the vote, some 15 MPs from all opposition parties gathered in a room at whose door they stuck a sign reading "Here are the deputies who don't take part in the vote, out of protest against the forgery of votes".
Speaker Vladimir Seks pointed the finger at the opposition for not attending the vote on such an important law without notification or explanation.
The leaders of Homeland War associations labelled the opposition's boycott of the vote on the law "scandalous".
Also today, Parliament decided that former constitutional judge and administration minister Jurica Malcic is the new, third, Croatian ombudsman. He took his oath before Parliament, which adopted, at Malcic's proposal, that Zeljko Thur, Branko Tinodi, and Dejan Palic be his deputies.
Parliament approved a EUR45 million loan agreement whereby the European Investment Bank will co-finance the building of 29 km of the Zagreb-Lipovac highway, which is on Corridor X. The loan was granted with a five-and-1/2-year grace, and a 25-year repayment period.
Parliament adopted amendments to the law on science and higher education.
Opposition MPs did not take part in the voting on said items.
Later today Parliament endorsed in the first reading the draft of a new law on the protection of nature which is expected to provide better protection for Croatia's biodiversity.
A state secretary at the Culture Ministry, Jadran Antolovic, said the Government moved a new bill, even though the existing law on the matter had been in force for barely a year, as part of approximation with European Union legislation, and because of the elimination of provisions on genetically modified food, which he added would be included in a separate law.
Antolovic said that currently protected areas account for less than 10 percent of national territory, and that the intention was to increase this to 14 percent.
Vladimir Kurecic of the HDZ said the law should be adopted at the same time as the GMO law.
Zeljko Ledinski of the opposition Peasant Party (HSS) said the law on the protection of nature should clearly define Croatia's commitment to the development of ecotourism and ecoagriculture, even in protected areas.
Josip Leko of the opposition Social Democrats (SDP) urged the Government to formulate a long-term development strategy which should preserve Croatia's comparative advantages in relation to EU countries -- the clean soil and water.