MOST PARTY BENCHES SUPPORT BILL ON LOCAL OFFICIALS

ZAGREB, April 4 (Hina) - Most party benches in the Croatian parliament, with the exception of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and Croatian Bloc (HB), on Friday endorsed the government- sponsored bill on local and regional self-government, after presenting some minor objections. #L# The bill should help eliminate some illogical situations in bodies of local self-government, such as the excessive number of staff and inappropriately high salaries, Ljubica Lalic of the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) said. MPs agreed about the need to make local self-government more efficient and less costly. The HDZ's Bozidar Kalmeta criticised the bill saying it did not leave enough room for units of local self-government to organise their own internal structure nor did it take into account their specific qualities. The debate ended this week's parliament sitting. The Sabor will continue its session next week with a discussion on the privatisation of the Suncani Hvar hotel company. (hina) sp rml sb