HOUSE OF COUNTIES DISCUSSED POLITICAL SITUATION

ZAGREB, Feb 13 (Hina) - On the initiative of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the House of Counties on Tuesday discussed the current political situation in the country, caused by mass protests against the arrest of retired general Mirko Norac, suspected of war crimes. The HDZ parliamentary bench motioned the passing of legal regulations under which the prosecution of Croatian Homeland Defence War veterans would be discontinued. In the HDZ's opinion, such a regulation would remove the permanent source of division and conflicts, as well as Croatia's instability. Some HDZ representatives called upon general Norac not to surrender. A request for the legal regulation was supported by representatives of the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) and the Medjimurje Christian Democrats (KDM). Representatives of the opposition criticised President of State and the Prime Minister, while representatives of the parties of the ruling coalition, who do not hold the majority in the House, stressed that the authorities would not prohibit legitimate protests on the occasion of the Norac case, including the one scheduled for Thursday outside the Croatian parliament. They, however, pointed to the manipulations of certain opposition parties. (hina) it sb