ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - At the sudden suggestion of the ruling six-party coalition, the Croatian National Sabor's House of Representatives discontinued its Thursday afternoon's session due to, it was said, high tensions and lack of
tolerance in the debate. Vladimir Seks of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) agreed with the proposal, adding, however, HDZ deputies did not want to participate in the debate in which the Minister of Public Works, Reconstruction and Construction, Radimir Cacic, was participating, unless Cacic apologised for his "insults to Croatian soldiers and HDZ members." The dispute occurred during today's debate on a bill on reconstruction, when Cacic rejected an amendment by the HDZ to Article 1 of the bill suggesting that the words "damage inflicted during the Homeland War" be replaced with "during the Great-Serbian aggression on Croatia." Explaining why the Government would not adopt this a
ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - At the sudden suggestion of the ruling six-
party coalition, the Croatian National Sabor's House of
Representatives discontinued its Thursday afternoon's session due
to, it was said, high tensions and lack of tolerance in the debate.
Vladimir Seks of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) agreed with
the proposal, adding, however, HDZ deputies did not want to
participate in the debate in which the Minister of Public Works,
Reconstruction and Construction, Radimir Cacic, was
participating, unless Cacic apologised for his "insults to
Croatian soldiers and HDZ members."
The dispute occurred during today's debate on a bill on
reconstruction, when Cacic rejected an amendment by the HDZ to
Article 1 of the bill suggesting that the words "damage inflicted
during the Homeland War" be replaced with "during the Great-Serbian
aggression on Croatia."
Explaining why the Government would not adopt this amendment, Cacic
said that "it was not only the Great-Serbian aggressor who
destroyed, burned and looted across Croatia - there were criminals
on both sides."
Cacic also recalled that upon his arrival in Knin the day after the
town had been liberated he did not see any houses burning, however,
he did see them burning while leaving the town. Cacic also said
members of the then Opposition, including himself and Drazen
Budisa, were in Knin on that day, however, there were no HDZ
members.
This provoked a fierce reaction by HDZ deputies who demanded that
Cacic apologise because, as they said, he had deeply insulted
soldiers and HDZ members. As Cacic refused to do so, opposition
deputies walked out of the chamber.
After a 15-minute break, deputies returned and Cacic apologised.
"I was shocked at the explanation of the amendment but it was not my
intention to insult anyone. Therefore, I apologise to all those who
were in Knin then," Cacic said.
Despite the apology, HDZ deputies this afternoon sent a letter to
Prime Minister Ivica Racan demanding that Cacic resign.
Shortly after the debate resumed, another fierce reaction was
provoked by Drago Krpina of the HDZ, who, explaining his party's
amendment to the bill, said that according to the government's bill
the cause of destruction in Croatia was the Homeland War.
"The six-party coalition is granting pardon to Great-Serbian
aggressors for destroying Croatia and the Homeland War is branded
the main culprit," Krpina said.
Luka Trconic of the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS) described
Krpina's statement as an impudent attack on the government, adding
it made Minister Cacic's previous reaction completely justified.
Vlado Gotovac of the Liberal Party (LS) asked Sabor President
Zlatko Tomcic why he tolerated insults to deputies and the
Government, whereas Mato Arlovic of the Social Democratic Party
(SDP) asked Tomcic to warn Krpina.
After a short break, which Tomcic approved so that deputies could
'chill out', Trconic suggested on behalf of the ruling coalition
that the session be discontinued.
"This debate, which is burdened with high tensions and intolerance,
is intolerable and dangerous," Trconic said, asking that the debate
on the bill be postponed until tomorrow. Once we are fresh and
rested, we will be able to have a debate based on arguments, in an
atmosphere of tolerance, he added.
Seks agreed with this suggestion, however, he added HDZ deputies
did not want to participate in the debate with Cacic if he did not
apologise. Seks believes Cacic has not apologised the way he should
have, adding his statements, which equalise those who looted and
burned across Croatia with Croatian soldiers and Homeland war
victims and invalids, have deeply insulted both the soldiers and
HDZ deputies.
Seks also asserted the HDZ did not have to apologise for Krpina's
statement regarding the contested amendment because it was true.
Prior to this heated debate, the lower house adopted with a majority
vote changes to the Law on Internal Affairs. The house also adopted
a conclusion according to which one member of a three-member
commission in charge of supervising the implementation of measures
aimed at undercover collection of data should be proposed by the
HDZ.
The Sabor also adopted a conclusion that the Government by
September 1 prepare a bill regulating the management of
confidential documents from the archives of the President of the
Republic, Prime Minister, and the Sabor President.
The House of Representatives did not, however, adopt HDZ's
suggestion according to which the use of those documents, i.e.
transcripts, tape recordings, records and similar documents, some
of which have been published lately, would be banned until the new
law is adopted.
(hina) mm rml