OPPOSITION URGES SKRABALO TO WITHDRAW HOLIDAYS LAW AMENDMENTS

ZAGREB, Oct 11 (Hina) - The Croatian Parliament on Thursday ended a discussion on Ivo Skrabalo's (Croatian Social Liberal Party) amendments to the Law on Holidays with opposition parties urging that he withdraw his amendments and calling for the introduction of a ten-year moratorium on the changing of holiday dates. Representatives of the opposition's Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), Democratic Centre (DC), Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) and the Croatian Christian Democratic Union (HKDU) said a discussion on the subject only deepened existing divisions and antagonism in Croatian society, and should not be held for some time. Skrabalo, however, remained adamant about his proposals, believing they were the best solution. The parliament will be voting on them when the 17th session continues. The largest parliamentary party, Social Democratic Party (SDP), drew up an amendment suggesting that June 25 be made Statehood Day, because, as they say, on that day the parliament proclaimed Croatia's independence. The SDP also asks that the current Statehood Day, May 30, be renamed Croatian Parliament Day, and that January 2 be made a non-working day for tourist reasons. With 12 holidays, Croatia stands somewhere in the middle on the scale of the number of holidays in European countries. (hina) lml