DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER GIVES OSCE BILL ON MINORITY LAW

ZAGREB, July 17 (Hina) - Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic on Wednesday met the head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Mission to Croatia, Peter Semneby, the government said in a statement. #L# During the meeting Granic presented Ambassador Semneby with a draft bill on national minorities and informed him of the proceedings since the bill was initiated and of consultations that were conducted at several levels including experts for constitutional law, political parties and representatives of national minorities. Granic clearly said that the government's objective was to come up with a document that would resolve long-term issues relating to national minorities along with support by parties in the Croatian parliament and amongst minorities so as to contribute towards building a Croatia that will be multiethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural. The bill will be forwarded to a parliamentary procedure at the next extraordinary session of the parliament before the summer break, Granic said. Agreeing with the proposed solutions in the bill, Ambassador Semneby said he would present a report to the international community very soon about the bill and added that it was important that harmony existed in a society in which the law would be implemented. (hina) sp it