MIMICA: PARLIAMENT SHOULD RATIFY SAA WITH MORE THAN 50% OF VOTES

ZAGREB, Nov 4 (Hina) - Croatian Minister for European Integrations Neven Mimica told MPs on Tuesday that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Croatia and the European Union should be ratified with more than a half of votes, not with a two- thirds majority, and should be adopted in urgent procedure. "In the case of this agreement ... we found no legal grounds for estimating that a part of constitutional powers would be transferred over to international organisations," so there is no need for a two-thirds majority vote for its adoption, Mimica said at the start of a parliament discussion on the SAA. The parliament is on Tuesday discussing the final draft on ratifying the SAA, on ratifying a temporary agreement on trade and related issues between Croatia and the EU, and the final bill on the implementation of the two agreements. "The government has no doubts about the way the agreements with the EU should be ratified ... there is no need for a two-thirds majority vote," Mimica said, adding that the two-thirds majority vote would be necessary when voting on full membership in the EU, because a part of Croatia's constitutional powers would then be transferred to the organisation. Croatia signed the SAA in Luxembourg on October 10. Speaking about the need for the drafts to be voted on in urgent procedure, Mimica stressed "this is a practice with all international agreements ratified by the Croatian parliament". "The government is now suggesting ... that the Croatian parliament urgently ratify this international agreement and thus confirm its option for Croatia's rapprochement to the European Union," the minister stressed. (hina) lml