HDZ DEMANDS CHANGES TO LAW ON COOPERATION WITH ICTY

ZAGREB, July 9 (Hina) - The presidency of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) requests an emergency debate about Croatia's relationship toward the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, i.e. changes to the Constitutional Law on Cooperation with the ICTY. The law was adopted by the HDZ-led parliamentary majority during the HDZ rule. HDZ president Ivo Sanader presented the conclusions of the party leadership at a news conference. The HDZ, he said, will seek a referendum on changes to the Constitutional Law on Cooperation with the ICTY if the Sabor refuses to hold a debate on this issue. The party presidency has decided unanimously that, in case this happens, it will organise on its own the collection of 400,000 signatures which are necessary for organising a referendum, Sanader said. The HDZ presidency also believes the parliament should introduce a debate about a proposal that Croatian Homeland War soldiers be treated equally as soldiers of other liberation armies. These conclusions of the party presidency should be approved by the party's National Committee before they are forwarded into parliamentary procedure. (hina) sb rml