DJAKOVO, July 8 (Hina) - The request of Prime Minister Ivica Racan for the motion for a vote of confidence in the government may be discussed by the parliament on 15 July at the earliest, Sabor Speaker Zlatko Tomcic said on Sunday. I
still cannot say precisely whether we shall take the vote on 15 or on 18 July, when an extraordinary parliamentary session is likely to take place, Tomcic said in the eastern town of Djakovo during a local festival of folklore. He confirmed the information that he had received Premier's request last night immediately after Racan announced this possibility. Under the constitution, at least seven days must expire since such a request has been served, before the parliament can discuss the motion. "In any case, the discussion on confidence in the incumbent government will be held," Tomcic said. He assessed that Croatia was now undergoing extremely difficult moment
DJAKOVO, July 8 (Hina) - The request of Prime Minister Ivica Racan
for the motion for a vote of confidence in the government may be
discussed by the parliament on 15 July at the earliest, Sabor
Speaker Zlatko Tomcic said on Sunday.
I still cannot say precisely whether we shall take the vote on 15 or
on 18 July, when an extraordinary parliamentary session is likely
to take place, Tomcic said in the eastern town of Djakovo during a
local festival of folklore.
He confirmed the information that he had received Premier's request
last night immediately after Racan announced this possibility.
Under the constitution, at least seven days must expire since such a
request has been served, before the parliament can discuss the
motion.
"In any case, the discussion on confidence in the incumbent
government will be held," Tomcic said.
He assessed that Croatia was now undergoing extremely difficult
moments and the government had no choice when it decided to act in
line with the request of the ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal
for the former Yugoslavia).
The constitutional law on the cooperation with the ICTY was adopted
more than five years ago, and now everything has boiled down to the
option whether to respect or not our own act passed by the Sabor, the
parliament's head explained.
I personally maintain that we have only one solution - to continue
cooperating with the Tribunal; otherwise, we will face a very
difficult situation which will lead to our isolation, he said.
Tomcic declined to speak about the hand-over of indictees to the UN
war crimes court, adding that the procedure has just been
initiated.
Asked to comment on the possible impact of the resignation tendered
by four ministers from the ranks of the HSLS on the ruling five-
party coalition, Tomcic responded that "in such situation we need
reach maximum national consensus" and that he did not expect the
collapse of the coalition. The President of the Croatian Peasants'
party (HSS) hopes that the coalition will stick together.
He believes that those who voted against the government's decision
will have to reconsider their conduct and decide whether they will
remain in the coalition.
The situation is not simple and all of us are exposed to some moral
dilemmas and principles as well as to resistance to bids to
discredit the Homeland War, Sabor Speaker said adding that, on then
other hand, there are laws passed by the parliament which must be
respected.
This is a great test for conscience of all of us and the entire
nation, he said.
Asked about the HSS' position on the cooperation with the Tribunal,
Tomcic said that in the opinion of the HSS, Croatian citizens can
answer only for individual crimes and not for any form of the
commanding responsibility.
(hina) ms