ZAGREB, Dec 21 (Hina) - The founding session of the new fifth Croatia's parliament will be held on Monday, a month after the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) won the parliamentary elections.
ZAGREB, Dec 21 (Hina) - The founding session of the new fifth Croatia's
parliament will be held on Monday, a month after the Croatian
Democratic Union (HDZ) won the parliamentary elections.#L#
The highest law-making body holds its first session after Croatia's
President calls it. The parliament is constituted with the election of
its president on condition that at least a half of elected deputies,
namely 77 in the fifth parliament, attend the session.
The HDZ won 66 seats out of a total of 152 in this composition ofthe
Sabor. HDZ leader Ivo Sanader has been entrusted with the task to form
a new government.
The second strongest parliamentary party is the Social Democratic
Party (SDP) which, together with its coalition partners -- Liberal
Party (LS), Libra and the Istrian Democratic Alliance 8IDS) -- has now
43 seats.
It is followed by the Croatian People's Party (HNS), wich together
with its coalition partners, namely two local parties (PGS) and (SBSH)
has 11 deputies.
The Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) won nine (9) seats.
The Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) won eight (8) seats.
The coalition of the Democratic Centre (DC) and Social Liberals (HSLS)
and the Croatian Party of Pensioners (HSU) have each three seats. The
Croatian Democratic Peasant Party (HDSS) has one deputy.
Ethnic minorities have eight parliamentary deputies to the Sabor.
An HDZ parliamentarian, Vladimir Seks, is the most likely candidate to
be the new president of the Sabor.
The parliament has five vice-presidents. Under the agreement of the
HDZ and the opposition, three vice-presidents will be elected from the
ranks of the opposition and two from the ranks of the election's
vinner.
It is expected that the second extraordinary session of the parliament
will be called immediately after the end of the first founding
session, namely on Monday afternoon and Tuesday (December 23), when
the Premier-Designate Ivo Sanader should present his political and
legislative agenda and the persons who will hold offices in his
Cabinet. He will also call on the parliament to hold a vote of
confidence in the new government.
(Hina) ms