REACTIONS TO FRIDAY'S PARLIAMENTARY SESSION

ZAGREB, July 14 (Hina) - An association for the promotion of Croatia's identity and prosperity called 'HIP' regards that by leaving the parliament's hall, MPs from the ranks of parties, which make up the ruling coalition, deliberately made it impossible for the Sabor to have a quorum and thus they showed that for the current authorities it was not at all important to discuss the relations between Zagreb and the UN war crimes tribunal (ICTY) as a topic of the national interest. HIP most resolutely protests at it, reads a statement signed by a member of the HIP governing body, Nenad Ivankovic. According to Ivankovic "by timing the issuance of a warrant for arrest of General Gotovina a few hours before the parliamentary debate, the Ivica Racan Cabinet has shown cynicism and the insulting treatment of the role of the Croatian Sabor and of the respect for democratic procedure." HIP wonders why the Sabor should then hold a discussion on the said issue when the government decided to carry out the Tribunal's order and hand over people, for whom there is no evidence that they were personally liable for any concrete crime, to that court. In this way, the government also accepted indictments which obviously demonise the Homeland War. A centre for the promotion of democracy called CERD and a coalition of non-governmental organisations for human rights' protection have expressed support to the Government's decision to act in accordance with the ICTY, regarding this decision as the only possible and right one based on the constitutional law on the cooperation with the ICTY and on international documents signed and ratified by Croatia. These NGOs believe that cooperation with the ICTY should not be treated as the pressure from abroad but as a necessary part of the construction of permanent peace through punishment of war crimes. (hina) sb ms