GOVERNMENT WILL RECONSIDER CONSTITUTIONAL BILL ON MINORITIES

ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - The government has to reconsider provisions from a constitutional bill on the rights of national minorities relating to the right to elect minority MPs, particularly the double voting right for minorities which account for less than 1.5 percent of the entire population, parliament's presidency concluded on Wednesday. #L# The government will make a final decision on the bill it will forward into parliamentary procedure in eight days' time, said Deputy Prime Minister Goran Granic. Political parties are divided regarding the double voting right, he added. The double voting right violates one of the fundamental human rights, the equality of all citizens, said parliament's vice president Mate Arlovic, a Social Democrat (SDP). This right could hardly pass in Croatia, he told reporters. Earlier this week the government prepared a final constitutional bill on minorities' rights under which national minorities making up more than 1.5 percent of the population would elect at least one representative, i.e. their number of seats in parliament would correspond to the so-called non-fixed quota. The double voting right is envisaged for minorities with a less than 1.5 percent population share. According to unofficial information, some parties at today's session, including the SDP, the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) and the Democratic Centre, objected to the double voting right, the HSS has not stated its opinion, while representatives of minorities, the Liberal Party, the Croatian People's Party, and the PGS regional party maintain minorities should have more rights than at the moment. Arlovic said it was not possible to adopt one voting model for one minority and another for the others. A uniform model of election of minority MPs has to be found, he stated. Asked what he and the SDP advocated, Arlovic chose the model which will be in compliance with the Constitution. (hina) ha sb