RULING COALITION OPPOSES HDZ'S MOTION ON AMENDING LAW ON COOPERATION WITH ICTY

ZAGREB, July 19 (Hina) - The ruling coalition parliamentary benches on Thursday dismissed a Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) draft amendments to a constitutional law on cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), welcoming, however the initiative, but stressing Croatia cannot change regulations established by the ICTY Statute. Representatives of the ruling coalition believe Croatia should try to change the provision of the ICTY Statute which regulates the objective commanding responsibility principle, but through diplomatic activities. Luka Trconic of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) parliamentary bench said the activities should be directed towards adjusting the law to the Rome Statute, which contains more favourable provisions on the commanding responsibility for Croatia and it gives preference to the national judiciary over the international law. Even though a small number of countries have ratified the Rome Statute so far, Trconic believes that a permanent international criminal tribunal, whose establishment is regulated by the Statute, should have greater credibility than the Hague tribunal. He assessed the HDZ's motion as legally incorrect, considering that Croatia had assumed a commitment to cooperate with the ICTY, thus to adjust its legislation to the Hague Statute. Mate Granic of the Democratic Centre (DC) parliamentary bench advocated the diplomatic activities, stressing that, along with the amendments to the constitutional law, the objective commanding responsibility principle should be excluded from the Hague Statute. "This won't be easy but Croatia must try," said Granic. On behalf of the Croatian Party of Rights/Croatian Christian Democratic Union parliamentary bench, Anto Djapic supported the amendments, stressing this solution would help bridge over the time gap until the enforcement of the Rome Statute. Vladimir Seks of the HDZ parliamentary bench reiterated his party did not oppose cooperation with the Hague tribunal, on contrary, it was trying to find a solution which would guarantee full cooperation with the Hague, based on the Hague Statute, the Croatian Constitution and the Croatian parliament declaration on the Homeland war. The session was continued with individual debates on the motion. (hina) it