ZAGREB, June 24 (Hina) - In his closing address to the Croatian parliament on Tuesday, Ombudsman Ante Klaric dismissed accusations of "collaboration" with any political party.
ZAGREB, June 24 (Hina) - In his closing address to the Croatian
parliament on Tuesday, Ombudsman Ante Klaric dismissed accusations
of "collaboration" with any political party. #L#
Branimir Glavas of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said during
today's discussion on the Ombudsman's Report for 2002 that the
report did not include criticisms of the coalition government
because the government and the Ombudsman had come to such an
agreement.
"I do not listen to any political party but rather to the voice of my
own conscience and Croatian laws," Klaric stressed.
He also responded to objections by MPs from the Croatian Social
Liberal Party (HSLS) and Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) that the
report should have assessed the social situation in the country and
the implementation of laws.
"The report was conceived so that you give assessments instead of
being served with them," Klaric said to MPs. He added that each year
he presented them with facts and asked why they had not called to
account anyone from the executive authorities.
Commenting on objections by HDZ deputies that his office should not
have accepted foreign donations, Klaric thanked the Norwegian
government for, as he said, reconstructing houses, schools and
infrastructure in a number of small towns in Croatia.
He criticised MPs and the government for lacking the strength to
introduce order in areas of special state concern, where many
social issues have not been resolved.
"I'm shocked with the fact that there are 500 reconstructed houses
in Sibenik-Knin County in which no-one lives. The area around Knin
is uninhabited, yet there are so many illegally occupied state-
owned flats in Knin and no-one knows who lives in them," Klaric
said.
If people return to their reconstructed houses, state-owned flats
will be vacated for Bosnian Croat refugees who are living in
unbearable conditions, and Serbs will also be able to return to
their homes, Klaric said.
The parliament resumes its sitting on Thursday, following
Statehood Day.
(hina) sp rml sb