JUSTICE COMMITTEE SAYS THERE IS NO REASON FOR SETTING UP ENQUIRY COMMISSION

ZAGREB, May 7 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament justice committee on Tuesday decided there were no just causes to recommend to the parliament to set up an enquiry commission to determine whether or not there is a connection between the government and organised crime. As a result of claims by former Chief State Prosecutor Radovan Ortynski at the last parliament sitting which discussed a report on the work of the State Prosecutor's Office, parliament president Zlatko Tomcic suggested that the Committee evaluate whether there was a need to establish an enquiry commission into the matter.#L# Ortynski did not say anything concrete or new, nor he provided evidence to support his claims on the connection between the government and organised crime which is why the majority of committee members voted against the setting up of such a commission, committee chairman Luka Trconic said at the end of the session. Seven committee members from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) and the Croatian People's Party (HNS) voted against the establishment of the commission while four members from the Croatian Peasant's Party (HSS), the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) voted for. Vladimir Seks of the HDZ said the Committee's decision represented "the obstruction of justice" and said his party , namely one third of the necessary MPs, would submit to the parliament a request for the setting up of an enquiry commission. He said that at today's session, Ortynski remained with all of his statements on the connection between the government and organised crime and that a discussion in the parliament on that matter cannot be avoided. Trconic said the committee will in the near future request a report from the State Prosecutor's Office on measures taken with regards to Ortynski's claims. (hina) it