SECURITY SERVICES LAW WILL REDUCE CITIZENS' FEARS - GRANIC

ZAGREB, March 21 (Hina) - The final bill on security services regulates the work and supervision of secret services on Constitutional and legal principles, as well as the protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens. In this manner, it enables a good reform of the Croatian intelligence system, Croatian Vice- Premier Goran Granic said in parliament on Thursday, explaining the government's proposal. #L# Urging MPs to adopt the bill, Granic emphasised provisions on both parliamentary and civilian supervision of security services through the parliamentary Council and Civil Supervision Council. This will decrease citizens' fear of their rights and freedoms being abused, he said. The chairwoman of the parliamentary Internal Affairs and National Security Committee, Djurdja Adlesic, announced several amendments to the bill, particularly the section concerning the supervision and jurisdiction of each service, keeping secrecy of information, and a circle of persons with access to information about the work of the secret services. The committee also suggested that if the Supreme Court judge does not issue a warrant for the secret gathering of information for an individual within 24 hours, all information and documents gathered hitherto are to be destroyed. It also proposed that a parliamentary body should be specified to supervise the services, and define the ways of doing this, Adlesic said. The bill was accepted by benches of the Democratic centre, Social Democratic Party, Croatian Peasants' Party and the Croatian Social Liberal Party, while the Croatian Democratic Union and Croatian Party of rights opposed it, requesting a third reading. The parliament is continuing the discussion and will be voting on the bill in the afternoon hours. (hina) lml