INCIDENT OCCURS IN CROATIAN PARLIAMENT

ZAGREB, June 1 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament ended its 12th session on Friday without having finished the scheduled agenda due to an incident which occurred between Sabor deputy speaker Mato Arlovic and independent representative Ivo Loncar. Speaking about the candidates for members of the Croatian Radio Television (HRT) Steering Council, Loncar said the six candidates "have no idea what the media are" and therefore could not head HRT. Asking for the floor several times, Loncar kept reiterating his claim, after which Arlovic ruled him out of order and reprimanded him. However, as Loncar continued defying him, Arlovic ruled him out of order for the second time and after he again refused to obey, ordered that Loncar leave the session. Loncar defied the order, provoking Arlovic to call the parliament guards to take him out of the hall and discontinue the session until this was done. After his fellow deputies told him to do so, Loncar left the chamber telling reporters he did so in order not to bring the guards into an unpleasant situation and "jeopardise their jobs." After the incident, there was a lack of quorum and the session could not resume. (hina) sb rml