HOUSE OF COUNTIES CONTINUES 53RD SESSION

ZAGREB, March 20 (Hina) - The Sabor's House of Counties on Tuesday continued its 53rd session with a discussion on an act which the Government drew up on broadening the scope of work and rights of the local and regional self-government. The draft act is the first stage in reforms of local authorities, the implementation of which should go on after the coming local election, an assistant to the Croatian Justice Minister, Teodor Antic, told the upper house. Under the draft act, county prefects and mayors of towns and municipalities will still be elected by councils, i.e. they will not be elected directly at the ballot. Under the act, members of the local authorities of a town of municipality will not be also the heads of departments. The latter will be professionally employed via the announcement of vacancies. Antic said the government's proposal did not encroach on the territorial organisation of any type of local units. Thus he denied speculations that the act's provision that an area may be granted the status of the town only if it has over 10,000 inhabitants, would revoke this status for some current towns. During the definition of today's agenda, Jure Buric of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) proposed that a delegation of this Sabor house should visit the retired General Mirko Norac, who is currently in custody in the seaport of Rijeka being suspected of committing war crimes against local Serbs in the central town of Gospic in 1991. Buric expressed readiness to cover costs of the tour if the fare would be too much for the state budget. The House of Counties did not consider his proposal. (hina) ms