PAZIN, Nov 20 (Hina) - Istria County Assembly councilmen on Monday night voted 31 for and 2 votes against the amended Istria County Statute. In 1995 the Constitutional Court rescinded 18 provisions of the Statute, estimating them to
be unconstitutional. The Justice Ministry then rescinded ten more provisions and suggested the government start a procedure to see whether they are in line with the Constitution. The same was asked for several articles and items which were not rescinded, but only the terminology was described as a moot point. In May the government initiated the procedure for 13 articles. After several months of talks between the Justice Ministry and the Istria County, the only contentious issue that remained was the wording that learning the Italian language "will be ensured"as a language of a society and members of other nationalities in municipalities and towns where Italians make up a majority ofresidents, be chan
PAZIN, Nov 20 (Hina) - Istria County Assembly councilmen on Monday
night voted 31 for and 2 votes against the amended Istria County
Statute.
In 1995 the Constitutional Court rescinded 18 provisions of the
Statute, estimating them to be unconstitutional. The Justice
Ministry then rescinded ten more provisions and suggested the
government start a procedure to see whether they are in line with
the Constitution. The same was asked for several articles and items
which were not rescinded, but only the terminology was described as
a moot point.
In May the government initiated the procedure for 13 articles.
After several months of talks between the Justice Ministry and the
Istria County, the only contentious issue that remained was the
wording that learning the Italian language "will be ensured"
as a language of a society and members of other nationalities in
municipalities and towns where Italians make up a majority of
residents, be changed to the expression "will be made possible".
Istria County Assembly Stevo Zufic said the passing of the document
was a long procedure, but, according to his estimates, was
harmonised with state bodies which ceases the eight year period of
"conflicts with authorities".
"After the passing of the Istria County Statute based on an
agreement with the Croatian government, we expect the government to
withdraw its request filed before the Constitutional Court to
assess whether the 13 items were in line with the Constitution,"
Zufic stressed, adding that all spiritual, traditional and human
values for life and coexistence in Istria had been build into the
Statute.
According to Zufic, the Statute represents the turning of a new
slate in the future of Istria which thus again confirms itself to be
a multilingual, multi-cultural and multiethnic region.
Istrian County Prefect Ivan Jakovcic believes the adoption of the
Istria Statute was a way out of the "eight year crisis situation"
because the document guarantees the establishment of a democratic
spiritual and material wealth of Istria County.
This corrects many wrongs towards Istria and its residents who have
managed, through the document, to affirm their regional self-
government, which represent a success of the Istria County
Assembly, Jakovcic asserted.
President of the Istria County Committee for the Statute and Rule-
Book, Damir Kajin, said the passing of the Statute was influential
on the Croatian legislative and that all citizens of Croatia would
benefit from it.
"The Istria County Statute is a document of a time with great
influence on the entire Croatia," Kajin said, adding that the story
about the Statute had not been told in full because, in line with
European regulations, new democratic standards will be built into
it.
(hina) lml