ZAGREB, May 16 (Hina) - The ruling coalition party benches on Friday supported a government-sponsored bill on asylum, while opposition parties requested that the bill go into the third reading to clarify conditions under which a
foreign citizen may be granted asylum in Croatia.
ZAGREB, May 16 (Hina) - The ruling coalition party benches on Friday
supported a government-sponsored bill on asylum, while opposition
parties requested that the bill go into the third reading to clarify
conditions under which a foreign citizen may be granted asylum in
Croatia. #L#
Social Liberals (HSLS) slammed the bill and sought the third
reading. They are not satisfied with the financial structure the
government suggested to execute the law.
The HSLS also disagrees with the amount of rights envisaged for
asylees. They believe that Croatia could cause citizens to hate
asylees, as happened in EU countries. The liberals recall that the
laws on asylum seekers changed in EU countries and no longer allows
the reunion of families. Dorica Nikolic believes that the
government drew up the law based on a very questionable assessment
that Croatia would be receiving around 150 asylees a year.
"In a very short period of time Slovenia got 450 asylees," she
warned.
Zdravka Busic of the Croatian Bloc (HB) also asked that the bill go
into the third reading. She suggested that the government wait for
next month's EU summit at which the international reform of asylum
will be discussed.
Luka Trconic of the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) advocated more
precise regulations about who may seek asylum and why. Trconic
supports the bill, but said "Croatia must not become a shelter
because it cannot afford it".
Mladen Godek of the Libra party believes that the government very
precisely drew up the financial structure for implementing the law.
Libra does not agree with the suggestion that Croatia become a
country of "asylum waste", but supports government measures to
become recognised in the world as a free country, he said.
Social Democrats' (SDP) Josip Leko replied to the HSLS saying this
was not a policy of immigration or accommodation of refugees from
"third countries", but accommodation of people who were persecuted
because of their religion, race or nationality, i.e. political
asylum.
Ivan Jarnjak of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said the party
would abstain, not because it believed that the law was
unnecessary, but because it believed it needed additional work.
Jarnjak believes that pressure on Croatia to accept asylees will
grow as the living standards grow.
(hina) lml sb