ZAGREB, Sept 16 (Hina) - Following rifts in two parliamentary parties, the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) and the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), instead of the current ten party benches in the Sabor, there will now be
twelve.
ZAGREB, Sept 16 (Hina) - Following rifts in two parliamentary
parties, the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) and the Croatian
Democratic Union (HDZ), instead of the current ten party benches in
the Sabor, there will now be twelve. #L#
One of the benches will be formed by former HSLS MPs who seceded from
that party following the crisis in the Government and their
misunderstanding with that section of the party headed by Drazen
Budisa.
The Independent Liberals, as the new faction is called, claim that
they will have nine MPs. Following a founding assembly scheduled
for Saturday, the new party will be called "Libra" which will more
than likely be the name of the new parliamentary bench as well.
Prior to the first autumn session of the Sabor, the Croatian Bloc,
will be founded following the rift between Ivic Pasalic and the HDZ
and as announced this bench will have six MPs who left this
strongest opposition party.
The current ten party benches in the Croatian Sabor were of HDZ,
HSLS, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Croatian Party of
Rights/Croatian Christian Democratic Union (HSP/HKDU), Croatian
Peasants' Party (HSS), Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS), the
bench of MPs representing national minorities, the bench of the
Croatian National Party (HNS) with two regional parties - the
Primorje Gorski Kotar Alliance and the Slavonia Baranja Croatian
Party - i.e. HNS/PGS/SBHS, Liberal Party (LS) and the Democratic
Centre (DC).
The largest party bench was the SDP with 45 MPs, while the second
largest was the HDZ as the largest opposition party with 41 MPs.
Following the election, that bench had the most MPs - 46. When the DC
founded its own party bench, three HDZ MPs transferred to the new
bench while two turned into independent candidates. According to
some announcements, the new Croatian Bloc party bench will gain six
former HDZ MPs which means the HDZ bench will be left with only 35
MPs.
The third largest party bench consists of HSS MPs with 16 in number
who became the third in rank with the exit of nine independent
liberals from HSLS and instead of the current 23 MPs the HSLS will be
left with 15 and now falls in fourth place in size.
The two new benches - Libra and Croatian Block - will be more
numerous than the remaining party benches, i.e. the 4 MPs in the
HSP/HKDU, 4 in IDS, 5 in HNS/PGS/SBHS, 4 in LS and 3 in the DC.
There is a total of 151 MPs in the Croatian Sabor of whom, three are
independent MPs.
(hina) sp ms sb