CROATIAN PARLIAMENT ENDS 15TH EXTRAORDINARY SESSION

ZAGREB, July 19 (Hina) - Croatia's parliament on Thursday turned down a motion, proposed by the opposition party HDZ, for changes to the constitutional law on cooperation between Zagreb and the UN war crimes tribunal (ICTY), and after it finished its 15th extra- ordinary session. The Sabor concluded that the government should examine possibilities for amending the said constitutional law in accordance with the ICTY's statute and the Rome statute. The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) proposed that changes should make it possible for Croatian courts to assess whether indictments, issued by the ICTY, have good grounds and whether they are in compliance with the Croatian constitution and the ICTY's statute. A majority of the MPs refuted such proposal, explaining that amendments could not be carried out unilaterally but only in cooperation with international organisations. According to many MPs, Zagreb should initiate diplomatic activities about the changes of the ICTY's statute regarding its segments about objective commanding responsibility. Croatia's parliament will convene its regular session in mid- September. (hina) ms