LOWER HOUSE SAYS NO TO DEBATE ON NORAC CASE

ZAGREB, Feb 9 (Hina) - Parliament's House of Representatives on Friday turned down by a majority vote a proposal by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) for discussing the current political situation in the wake of an arrest warrant issued for retired general Mirko Norac, former war commander in charge of the defence of Gospic. Norac, whose whereabouts are unknown, is a suspect in war crimes committed against Croatian Serb civilians in the central town of Gospic in 1991. The accusations have elicited a series of protest rallies staged by Homeland Defence War veterans' associations and some opposition parties, with the HDZ at the helm. The lower house did, however, accept a HDZ proposal for debating a set of conclusions the ruling six-party coalition drafted on the current situation. This will be done next week. The conclusions emphasise the lower house's support to the head of state and the government at a time when they are exposed to attacks over the Norac case. The lower house has bound the government to submit as soon as possible a report on the organisers of protests aimed at subverting the constitutional order and a democratically elected government, whereby, the conclusions say, "they ultimately admit to being willing to carry out a coup d'etat." According to opposition MPs, the draft conclusions use heavy words, for instance "coup d'etat". They demand that such expressions be substantiated or that the conclusions be turned down. Mato Arlovic of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) requested that before debating the conclusions, MPs be given the proclamations the protest organisers issued in connection with the Norac case. Said proclamations are supported by the Opposition and, according to Arlovic, mention the possibility of bringing into question the survival of the Croatian state. Ivo Sanader of the HDZ countered by stating his party did support the protests but not the proclamations. The protests show that the public is more sensitive to crucial political issues than the ruling coalition, he said. Despite the coalition's decision against a parliamentary debate on the current situation, the debate will be held next week. Arlovic objected to any debate, saying that one caused by protest proclamations calling the democratically elected government "a puppet and traitorous government" must not be allowed. It transpires from these proclamations that behind them is a political action aimed at subverting and assuming power without democratic elections, he said, adding in that case the executive authority would infringe upon the judicial authority. In connection with the Norac case, the ruling coalition pointed out on several occasions it objected to the interference of the executive and legislative into the judicial authority, stating the latter should be let to wrap the case independently. Under pressure from the Opposition and the protests in many parts of the country, MPs of the Croatian Social Liberal Party were the first to consent to next week's debate on the aforementioned conclusions. They were followed by MPs from the Croatian Peasants' Party, the SDP, and others from the ruling coalition. (hina) ha sb