CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS TO BE ADOPTED NEXT WEEK

ZAGREB, March 23 (Hina) - Parliament's lower house on Friday formulated a constitutional amendments draft, while the Committee on the Constitution, Rule Book and Political System formulated a final bill to that effect. The chief amendment is the abolishment of the upper house. Voting takes place next week. It has been announced the amendments will be adopted in the middle of next week, when the upper house will be dissolved. For the amendments to be adopted, a two-third majority of the vote is required. The abolishment of the upper house has been opposed by the formerly ruling Croatian Democratic Union, the strongest party in the upper house. According to unofficial announcements, a constitutional bill on the implementation of the Constitution will also be voted on next week. It envisages the termination of mandates for the president of the Supreme Court, members of the State Judicial Council, and the presidents of all courts. The new constitutional law would thus enable the implementation of constitutional amendments which stipulate a new method of electing judicial officials and were adopted last November. (hina) ha sb