ZAGREB, July 10 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament on Wednesday ended a debate on a bill on community service in the first reading, by which the government regulates community service in line with the Constitution and recommendations by
the Council of Europe.
ZAGREB, July 10 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament on Wednesday ended
a debate on a bill on community service in the first reading, by
which the government regulates community service in line with the
Constitution and recommendations by the Council of Europe. #L#
The government believes community service should last eight
months, i.e. two months longer than the regular military service.
Under the bill, all conscripts can refuse to use weapons and have
the right to be exempt from military service due to conscientious
objections.
Under the bill, the Commission for Community Service would be
deciding about such requests.
"The conscientious objector" should be enabled to submit a request
to be exempt from military service even after starting military
service, as well as to be exempt from a military exercise after
having served in the army. The international regulations which the
government followed demand the same social, financial, employment
and pension rights for conscientious objectors and persons doing
military service.
Some MPs suggested the complete abolishment of military service,
which the Opposition's Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) fiercely
opposed. The party also did not support the proposal that community
service last only eight months, stating that community service in
countries in transition lasted twice as long as military service.
The parliament today also ended a debate on amendments to the law on
preventing drug abuse, re-introducing into the law petty offence
proceedings against persons possessing drugs. The bill also
foresees fines amounting to between 5,000 and 20,000 kuna for
persons possessing drugs.
Petty offence proceedings would be introduced for persons who
possess narcotics, a plant or part of a plant from which narcotics
can be obtained.
The Health Minister of the resigned government, Andro Vlahusic,
said that by introducing the possibility of petty offence
proceedings the government did not intend to weaken but strengthen
control over narcotics.
He reminded that the current law on the prevention on drug abuse
included only criminal liability, which was why 80 percent of drug
abuse charges were dropped.
The Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) said the amendments could
decriminalise narcotics, which they consider unacceptable. The HSS
suggested that the law should establish the amount of drugs which
make the person possessing it liable to petty offence proceedings.
The Croatian People's Party (HNS)/Primorje-Gorski Kotar Alliance
(PGS)/Slavonia-Baranja Croatian Party (SBHS) bench agree with the
proposal, but believe that petty offence proceedings, in some
cases, are more appropriate than criminal proceedings. The Social
Democrats (SDP) support the introduction of a possibility that in
some cases physical persons are not charged for the possession of
narcotics.
The Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) and the HDZ strongly opposed the
amendments. The HDZ believes that adopting the amendments is the
first step to decriminalising narcotics, which "is a favour to drug
dealers, and a message to the youth that drugs are not harmful".
Minister Vlahusic dismissed such claims and said amendments were
being intentionally misinterpreted.
The parliament today ended a discussion on amendments to the law on
the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences, which regulates pension
bonuses for permanent Academy members, as well as a debate on
several bills in the first reading.
The MPs will vote on the bills on Thursday.
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