ZAGREB, Sept 5 (Hina) - A final bill on prevention of conflict of interest in the exercise of public office is aimed at promoting politics as common good and encouraging the public to place confidence in the ruling structures, Justice
Minister Ingrid Anticevic Marinovic said on Friday presenting the government's bill to the Croatian parliament.
ZAGREB, Sept 5 (Hina) - A final bill on prevention of conflict of
interest in the exercise of public office is aimed at promoting
politics as common good and encouraging the public to place
confidence in the ruling structures, Justice Minister Ingrid
Anticevic Marinovic said on Friday presenting the government's
bill to the Croatian parliament. #L#
In this context, the justice minister said that a priority of the
incumbent government was the fight against any form of corruption,
and therefore it proposed a law with the aim of preventing
situations in which the conflict of interest might occur and making
it impossible for office-holders to place their personal interests
above common good.
The law, sponsored together by the government and the opposition
Croatian Party of Rights (HSP), reads that there may be cases of the
conflict of interest in situations when officials have their
personal interests that affect or can affect their impartiality
while performing duties as office-holders.
A list of more than 300 officials in concern includes MPs,
government members, the Croatian National Bank's officials, state
auditors, the ombudsman, secretaries of the parliament and
ministries, Zagreb City Mayor, those who are at the helm of the
pension and health insurance funds (HZMO and HZZO respectively) and
the Croatian Privatisation Fund (HFP), the head of the Office of the
Croatian President, the army's chief-of staff and so on.
Within 30 days after taking office, office-holders are obliged to
submit a report on their assets, property, permanent income, assets
of the spouse and children. The office-holder can begin receiving
the salary only after he or she meets this obligation.
Under the bill, officials can retain gifts the value of which is up
to 500 kuna. More expensive gifts must be reported to a competent
commission. Money cannot be received as gift, regardless of the
amount.
Officials must give up their managing posts (membership in
supervisory and managing boards) and shares in companies and
transfer them to third persons who are not their spouse, kin or
close friends.
There is an exception when officials can be on supervisory boards of
state-run companies, but cannot be paid for that position.
A seven-member Commission would be appointed by the parliament with
the task to establish whether there are cases when an official's
personal interests collide with the public interest. Four members
of the commission would be deputies in the parliament, and the other
three renowned public figures with a seven-year term in the
commission.
Ten days after they take office, office-holders would have to sign a
statement expressing their consent to offering resignation in
cases when the commission might establish they have seriously
breached the provisions of the law on the matter.
If it establishes cases of the conflict of interest, the commission
can order the discontinuation of the payment of salaries, reprimand
the official and inform the public of the entire case.
(hina) ms