CROATIAN LOWER HOUSE STARTS DISCUSSION ON CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES

ZAGREB, March 28 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament's House of Representatives on Wednesday continued its session with a discussion on draft constitutional amendments which stipulate the annulment of the upper house (the House of Counties). MPs have received an amendment proposed by the Government, on a provision to be added to the Constitution under which the term of office of the Supreme Court President and of members of the State Judicial Council (DSV) will be terminated as soon as the constitutional amendments take effect. The Government explains in its amendment why it has abandoned its previous intention that the term of office of the Supreme Court President and DSV members should be regulated within a constitutional law on the Constitution's enforcement. According to the explanation, the Constitution stipulates the eight-year-long term of office of the incumbent Supreme Court President and DSV members, which cannot be cancelled by the constitutional act on the Constitution's enforcement, except if the said act is adopted in the same procedure as the Constitution. The adoption of the Constitution has three stages: the making of decision on embarking on (drawing it up), the drawing up of the document and the drawing up of the final bill. The constitutional law on the Constitution's enforcement, which will be today discussed, has passed the regular procedure usual for basic acts and a two-third majority of MPs must vote for it to be adopted. Representatives of the benches continued debating it. (hina) sb ms