TOMCIC EXPECTS PARLIAMENT TO DISCUSS ECON. ZONE BEFORE DISSOLVING

ZAGREB, Sept 29 (Hina) - Parliament president Zlatko Tomcic said on Monday he expected the parliament to discuss a proposal for declaring an economic zone in the Adriatic before it was dissolved in mid-October for elections, while opposition parties want an economic zone declared already this week. #L# Tomcic told parliament at the beginning of today's session he expected the government to submit a draft decision on declaration of an economic zone soon, which would then be discussed together with a proposal put forward by the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP). Parliamentary opposition parties, however, insisted that an economic zone be declared already this week, saying that this would be very difficult, if not impossible, after a conference in Venice. Unless the Sabor declares an economic zone before its dissolution, or before the conference on fisheries in Venice, which is scheduled for November 25 and 26, it will be necessary to conduct detailed research and adjust views, which will make the declaration procedure considerably more difficult, said Tonci Tadic of the HSP. Two years ago the HSP requested the Sabor to declare an exclusive economic zone in the Adriatic Sea. Tadic said that the Brussels declaration indicated that the Venice conference would agree to an economic zone if Croatia declared it. The HSP's demand was backed by the Democratic Centre (DC), the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the Croatian Bloc (HB), who argued that according to international law Croatia could unilaterally expand its jurisdiction in the Adriatic. Zlatko Canjuga of the Croatian Independent Democrats (HND) opposed this position, saying that anyone demanding declaration of an economic zone was provoking the EU and Slovenia, which he said was not in Croatia's interest. (hina) vm