UPPER HOUSE ENDORSES CHANGES TO LAW ON DEFENCE

ZAGREB, Jan 24 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament's House of Counties on Wednesday endorsed a bill on changes to the Defence Law along with an amendment under which civil military service would last 12 months instead of its being reduced from 15 to eight months as proposed in the bill. The amendment was suggested by the Committee on National Security and Internal Affairs, with the explanation that drastically reducing the difference in the duration of civil military service and ordinary military service would jeopardise national security. Branko Struk of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) opposed the explanation saying the Croatian armed forces had to be adjusted to NATO standards and that defence should be based on professional soldiers. Several deputies said drastic reduction of the duration of civil military service was not in line with European standards. SDP's Zlatko Komadina said the Law on Defence should also enable women to do military service. Deputy Defence Minister Zlatko Gareljic said that under three resolutions adopted by the European Parliament, civil military service should not last more than 50 percent longer than ordinary military service. Speaking about the economies the reduction of military service would result in, Gareljic said those funds would be allocated to military training facilities. The upper house will resume its session tomorrow. (hina) rml