UPPER HOUSE ENDORSES BILL ON LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT

ZAGREB, Jan 31 (Hina) - With the votes of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), which holds most seats in the upper house, the House of Counties on Wednesday adopted a bill on local self-government, envisaging greater powers for towns and municipalities. The bill was initiated by the HDZ parliamentary bench in the House of Representatives. HDZ's Marina Matulovic Dropulic said the advantage of the bill was that it regulated the financing and powers of local units. According to the bill, all municipalities and towns, regardless of their size, would be able to determine municipal taxes and local units would have the right to set local taxes. The bill also regulates the election of mayors, suggesting alternatives, one of them being direct election of mayors. Social Democratic Party's Ratko Maricic believes the bill is premature and incomplete. The bill should be part of an integral reform of local self-government, it must be followed by other laws, such as a law on the election of representatives to local bodies, he said. Liberal Party's Ankica Mamic said the bill was not premature given that local elections had been announced for June. The upper house today also endorsed a proposal by the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) on the transformation of the Chamber of Commerce, under which membership in the chambers of commerce and industry would no longer be obligatory but voluntary. Deputies suggested their amendments to the upper house's Rule Book, which are to be discussed subsequently. The session will resume tomorrow. (hina) rml