ZAGREB, April 7 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic on Friday received members of a working group he had delegated to draw up expert foundations for amendments to the Constitution.
ZAGREB, April 7 (Hina) - Croatian President Stipe Mesic on Friday
received members of a working group he had delegated to draw up
expert foundations for amendments to the Constitution. #L#
Mesic was handed the text he is to review, and the same document will
be forwarded to the Croatian National Parliament president and
Prime Minister on Monday, the President's advisor for internal
affairs, Igor Dekanic, said.
The crux of constitutional changes is not in restricting the
President's authorities, but in the system of parliamentary
democracy, the President cannot be directly elected by voters nor
be an independent bearer of great responsibilities, as this has to
be made conditional by the Parliament and Government, head of the
working group, Veljko Mratovic, told reporters after the meeting.
He said the text had been drawn up with expert foundations,
discussing the essential issues and problems of constitutional
organising which could be the subject of useful amendments to the
Croatian Constitution.
"This creates a basis for the work on preparing suggestions when
decided by political organs who have the right of initiative --
President of the Republic, MPs, the Government," Mratovic said.
According to him, a useful material had been created which contains
the solution to the forms of cooperation of all the basic state
organs and bodies of state authority.
"This does not qualify anybody in advance as in unquestionable
authority, but it can be useful for everyone to reach their own
stances and views which can in a rational period of time be formed
into a joint frame for interested political groups," Mratovic
said.
According to him, parliamentary jurisdiction should be extended
because the passiveness the Parliament had indicated should be
added a more powerful activity which parliamentary committees and
commissions must have in solving social problems.
The Government too must remain a powerful collective organ which
creates and carries out operative policy, and must have the support
and trust of the majority MPs. The Prime Minister must be an
important factor representing Croatia and participating in foreign
policy, solving important issues and the normal functioning of
state organs, he said.
"If on the basis of this a system of relations has been created which
represent stimulation and restrictions, as well as a balanced
influence, a system can be achieved which would not enable the
creation of a personalised authority out of democratic control,"
Mratovic said.
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