SABOR SPEAKER COMMENTS ON CLAIMS ON AUTONOMY OF ISTRIA

ZAGREB, March 30 (Hina) - The integrity of the Republic of Croatia or its functioning as an integral state cannot be questioned, Croatian Sabor Speaker Zlatko Tomcic on Wednesday told Croatian Television (HTV), commenting on some claims from Istria County that the county might seek autonomy. "Autonomy and decentralisation are two completely different things. The autonomy the way it was presented to the Croatian public from Istria County is totally unacceptable to me and to the Croatian society," Tomcic said. Tomcic understood that "the statements were actually the result of a certain emotional state caused by the blockade of the Istarska Bank." However, "those statements were inappropriate, hasty, and irresponsible. One cannot in any way question the integrity of the Republic of Croatia and its integral functioning. This is about two issues, the political and the expert, monetary-banking, one. I believe the Government will be able to find an adequate solution for the banking system, and I believe that those politicians who have made inappropriate statements about autonomy would very soon withdraw them and continue working normally," Tomcic said. The Sabor Speaker also expressed belief that the issue of decentralisation will not be solved within future constitutional changes. "The issue of decentralisation and the functioning of Croatia can be solved with separate laws on specific areas. I think it is good to think about and programme certain decentralisation, primarily within the financial jurisdiction of units of local government and self-government," Tomcic told HTV. (hina) mm rml