SARAJEVO, April 15 (Hina) - All Bosnian Croat parties, except for the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), have accepted in principle the draft constitutional changes as forwarded into parliamentary procedure on the basis of a previous
agreement by the government of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, but have urged defining precise mechanisms which will prevent the domination of one people in executive and legislative authorities.
SARAJEVO, April 15 (Hina) - All Bosnian Croat parties, except for
the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), have accepted in principle the
draft constitutional changes as forwarded into parliamentary
procedure on the basis of a previous agreement by the government of
the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, but have urged defining
precise mechanisms which will prevent the domination of one people
in executive and legislative authorities. #L#
Representatives of six Bosnian Croat parties met in Sarajevo on
Monday to try to harmonise their stands regarding changes to the
country's constitution.
The leader of the Croatian People's Union (HNZ), Milenko Brkic, who
chaired the meeting, told reporters that the meeting should help
the parties reduce differences as much as possible.
"Differences in the interpretation of the Sarajevo Agreement and
the approach to the constitutional changes came up again at last
week's meeting with Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula in
Mostar," Brkic reminded.
HDZ representatives did not attend any of the meetings.
A party official, Mariofil Ljubic, said that he attended today's
meeting in Sarajevo as a member of a working group for
constitutional changes. The meeting was partially successful as
there are still differences in the interpretation of the agreement,
which was signed on March 25 with mediation by High Representative
Wolfgang Petritsch.
The leaders of the New Croat Initiative (NHI) and the Croatian
Peasants' Party (HSS), Kresimir Zubak and Ilija Simic, requested
that the Sarajevo Agreement be implemented fully, while the other
parties suggested some modifications.
Brkic said that this primarily referred to the establishment of the
House of Peoples, which would include exclusively representatives
of the three constituent peoples, and not representatives of
minorities, whose rights he said should be regulated with a
separate law.
The parties agree that the House of Peoples should have the power to
confirm the election of the Federation president and government
because if not, there would always be a danger of outvoting.
All parties want the federal government to be organised on the
principle of parity, just like the federal courts.
The bloc made up of the Croatian National Union, Croatian Christian
Democratic Union and the Croatian Party of Rights will send its
draft constitutional changes to parliament in the next several
days.
Zubak told reporters that he expected the procedure of
constitutional changes to be completed by the deadline set by the
High Representative, April 18.
Today's meeting was initiated last week by Croatian Foreign
Minister Tonino Picula and the chairman of the Croatian
parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, Zdravko Tomac, during
the visit to Mostar.
Explaining the reasons for not attending the Mostar and today's
meeting, the HDZ issued a statement saying it did not understand
their purpose.
The party believes that by signing the Sarajevo Agreement, Zubak
went back on previous agreements among Bosnian Croat parties on
constitutional changes.
The HDZ also claims that the Sarajevo Agreement confirms the
division of the country into a majority Serb and a majority Bosniak
entity, leaving the Croats with minority status.
(hina) rml