ZAGREB, May 10 (Hina) - The Croatian National parliament House of Representatives on Wednesday ended a discussion on amendments to the Constitutional Law on human rights and freedoms and the rights of ethnic and national communities
or minorities in Croatia. The issue will be voted on on Thursday pending discussions on two bills on the rights of minorities -- the equal use of minority languages and scripts and education in minority languages and scripts. Some MPs wondered why the rush to adopt the amendments. Milan Djukic of the Serb People's Party held it would be wiser for the law to wait for constitutional changes, until then a group of experts should discuss it. He also held the population census, which was very important for determining the number of minority representatives in parliament and bodies of executive and supreme judicial authorities, could not be correctly implemented in 2001, because return of r
ZAGREB, May 10 (Hina) - The Croatian National parliament House of
Representatives on Wednesday ended a discussion on amendments to
the Constitutional Law on human rights and freedoms and the rights
of ethnic and national communities or minorities in Croatia.
The issue will be voted on on Thursday pending discussions on two
bills on the rights of minorities -- the equal use of minority
languages and scripts and education in minority languages and
scripts.
Some MPs wondered why the rush to adopt the amendments. Milan Djukic
of the Serb People's Party held it would be wiser for the law to wait
for constitutional changes, until then a group of experts should
discuss it.
He also held the population census, which was very important for
determining the number of minority representatives in parliament
and bodies of executive and supreme judicial authorities, could not
be correctly implemented in 2001, because return of refugees would
last longer.
He said he would not support the amendments, but would endorse the
conclusion that the Government continues the work on the
Constitutional Law.
Vladimir Seks of the Croatian Democratic Union wondered what
political autonomy and minority self-government meant. These
issues were discussed by Djukic and Furio Radin.
They, he said, are requesting a substitute for "kotars"
(districts), which means that they are requesting a new system of
minority political autonomy -- their own legislature, parliament.
They are also requesting that autonomy be regulated on a
territorial principle, which, he said, was impermissible.
Radin (a representative of the Italian minority) reacted saying he
had never asked for territorial, but a functional, cultural
autonomy which would protect the cultural and ethnic identity of
minorities.
Amendments to the Constitutional Law stipulates the rescinding of
all provisions pertaining to kotars. It is also motioned that the
provision on the participation of members of national minorities
which make up more than eight per cent of the entire population, be
represented in the Parliament and bodies of executive and judicial
authorities, which would be applied according to a census from
2001.
A two-third majority or 101 MP votes are necessary for the adoption
of the amendments. The ruling coalition of six parties has 95 seats
in the Lower House.
(hina) lml jn