ZAGREB, Sept 5 (Hina) - All the clubs of deputies in the Croatian parliament on Friday gave the green light to the government-sponsored final bill on prevention of conflicts of interest, but opposition parties -- the HSLS, the HDZ and
the HSP -- criticised the incumbent government of adopting the law shortly before the parliamentary elections and of having no political will to pass it earlier.
ZAGREB, Sept 5 (Hina) - All the clubs of deputies in the Croatian
parliament on Friday gave the green light to the government-
sponsored final bill on prevention of conflicts of interest, but
opposition parties -- the HSLS, the HDZ and the HSP -- criticised
the incumbent government of adopting the law shortly before the
parliamentary elections and of having no political will to pass it
earlier. #L#
The five ruling coalition parties -- the HNS, the HSS, the SDP , the
LS and Libra -- expressed their joint position that adopting the law
was the expression of the political will to finally adopt a legal
framework for the conduct of politicians in line with European
standards.
Tonci Tadic of the HSP (Croatian Party of Rights) recalled that a
draft bill on this issue had previously been proposed by his party,
and later the HSP co-operated with the government to define this
final bill on prevention of conflicts of interest.
During the debate Tadic pointed the finger to some current and
former ministers and the Sabor speaker for having transferred their
management posts in companies to their spouses or for doing
business with the state after they become office-holders.
"Such cases undermine citizens' confidence in the impartiality of
the government," Tadic added.
Vladimir Seks of the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) said the
existing law on government officials and civil servants regulated
the issue of conflicts of interest, but it had not been enforced
given that a politician's duties and private business were
intertwined. In this context Seks referred to some ministers from
the coalition government and the parliament's president.
Drazen Budisa of the HSLS (Croatian Social Liberal Party) said the
HSLS would vote for the law for pragmatic reasons rather than
because of the "principle of conscience", as his party wanted to
eliminate any possible argument of the ruling coalition which might
accuse the HSLS of not voting for the act for some specific
reasons.
Vesna Pusic of the HNS (Croatian People's Party) retorted that it
was true that the law was being adopted too late, actually that its
adoption was 13 years too late. She reminded the opposition that the
former ruling party HDZ had enough time to adopt it between 1990 and
2000.
Milanka Opacic of the SDP (Social Democratic Party) reminded the
opposition of "their sins" when their private interests collided
with public interest. She cited the recent example when an ousted
HDZ member, businessman Stipe Gabric Jambo, accused some HDZ
leading officials of political racketeering.
She also mentioned the case when another businessman, Zvonko Zubak,
asserted that he had given half a million kuna to the HSLS member,
Dorica Nikolic, as a gift.
Opacic suggested that provisions on restrictions for business
people when entering politics should be added to this final bill.
Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) agreed with
that suggestion.
(hina) ms