SABOR ADOPTS DRAFT TEXTBOOK STANDARDS

ZAGREB, April 2 (Hina) - At the start of its Wednesday session the Croatian parliament adopted draft textbook standards along with an amendment by the Social Democratic Party, Croatian Peasant Party and Libra requesting the education minister to define textbook standards for the school year 2003/2004. #L# The Sabor also passed a conclusion enabling the education minister to propose possible changes to textbook standards. During last week's debate most party benches supported the opinion of the Committee on Education that requests for the approval of textbooks according to the proposed standards should be dealt with at the beginning of next year, while textbooks for the next school year should be approved by the education minister. The parliament adopted by majority vote a bill of changes to the law on primary and secondary school textbooks. MPs unanimously adopted the government- and Croatian Party of Rights-sponsored bill on the prevention of the conflict of interest in public offices, whose purpose is to prevent state officials from realising private interests while performing their duties. The Sabor bound the government and the Croatian Party of Rights to draw up the final bill until the next session, i.e. within 60 days at the latest. After the votes on the said bills, party benches requested a break so they could harmonise their stands regarding amendments to the election law, which they are to vote on during the day. (hina) rml