ZAGREB, Feb 26 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament on Wednesday ended its sitting with a debate on a bill on changes to the law on the election of representative bodies of units of local and regional self-government.
ZAGREB, Feb 26 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament on Wednesday ended
its sitting with a debate on a bill on changes to the law on the
election of representative bodies of units of local and regional
self-government. #L#
Speaking on behalf of the sponsor, Deputy Justice Minister Miljenko
Kovac said the bill would adjust the election of minority
representatives into representative bodies with the
Constitutional Law on the Protection of Minority Rights.
He recalled that the constitutional law provided for minority
representation in cases when minorities accounted for more than
five and less than 15% of the population in a unit of local self-
government, which is when they have the right to at least one
representative in bodies of local self-government. If a minority
accounts for more than 15% of the local population, it would have
the right to proportional representation in a representative
body.
Vladimir Seks of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) believes that
only those members of minorities who have permanent residence and
reside in a unit of local self-government can have the right to
vote. He demands that the law include a regulation on residence to
prevent possible manipulation.
This stand was supported by the HNS/PGS/SBHS party bench.
Zdenko Haramija of the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) believes that
the law would contribute to the equal representation of minorities
and protect Croats who are in the minority in a regional community.
Zlatko Kramaric of the Liberal Party (LS) believes that the bill
contains too many norms and that the institute of elections is being
pushed to the point of absurdity as local elections are being held
every Sunday.
Jadranka Katarincic Skrlj of the Social-Liberals (HSLS) said the
law should be adopted by consensus, while Vlado Jukic of the
Croatian Party of Rights/Croatian Christian Democratic Union
(HSP/HKDU) stressed the importance of providing for Croats in cases
when they are in the minority so as to avoid their being
underprivileged in relation to those "who are returning to Croatia
because they have been amnestied and who participated in the armed
rebellion against Croatia".
Tibor Santo of the minority bench said the law should enable
national minorities to exercise their rights as envisaged by the
constitutional law.
The parliament resumes its session tomorrow.
(hina) rml