ZAGREB, June 27 (Hina) - Amendments to the law on the archive material, proposed by the Government, spurred Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) deputies to the House of Representatives to suggest an amendment under which transcripts and
similar documents from the Office of the President of the Republic should be classified into the files for the state archives, which can be used only 30 years after being labelled as such files. Members of the strongest opposition party in the national parliament maintained that such a legal act would prevent the publishing of the material by certain magazines and papers at certain periods. On the other hand, a majority of deputies to the lower house did not approve such an amendment. The Government rejected the HDZ amendment as proposed changes referred to the organisation of the archives and did not tackle the issue what can be regarded as the material fo
ZAGREB, June 27 (Hina) - Amendments to the law on the archive
material, proposed by the Government, spurred Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ) deputies to the House of Representatives to suggest an
amendment under which transcripts and similar documents from the
Office of the President of the Republic should be classified into
the files for the state archives, which can be used only 30 years
after being labelled as such files.
Members of the strongest opposition party in the national
parliament maintained that such a legal act would prevent the
publishing of the material by certain magazines and papers at
certain periods.
On the other hand, a majority of deputies to the lower house did not
approve such an amendment.
The Government rejected the HDZ amendment as proposed changes
referred to the organisation of the archives and did not tackle the
issue what can be regarded as the material for the national
archives.
According to Mladen Godek of the Croatian Social Liberal Party
(HSLS), transcripts of the talks held by Franjo Tudjman and Ivic
Pasalic on the sale of the "Vecernji List" daily could not be a part
of the real archive material, namely of documents important for
culture and history.
In addition, there must not be obstacles in investigations where
the aforementioned transcripts could serve as evidence, Godek
explained.
After a heated debate, MPs endorsed by a majority of vote the two
acts, drafted by the Government, on prolonging the start of the
pension reforms from July 1 this year to January 1, 2002.
Privately-owned pension insurance funds will stimulate a new
investment cycle an the economic growth, and by this postponement
the Government has showed that it does not treat the pension reform
seriously, complained Ljerka Mintas-Hodak, on behalf of the HDZ
bench in the Sabor's lower house.
Mintas Hodak believed that all important institutions for the
enforcement of the reform already existed and what now should be
done was to ensure necessary infrastructure for the start of their
work and this Government could have done so in the past months since
it had been inaugurated.
On behalf of the SDP (Social Democratic Party) bench, Snjezana Biga
Friganovic said the former authorities had launched a reform but
actually nothing important had been done. Therefore, owing to the
grave situation in the pension fund and the entire economy, it is
still impossible to commence with reforms now, she explained.
The fact that some institutions have been set up does not mean that
all pre-conditions have been created for the pension reform, said
Social Welfare and Labour Minister Davorko Vidovic at the end of the
debate.
The Government is aware of the great importance of the pension
reform for the economy, Vidovic said and cited the example of Poland
where the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose by 1.5 percent in the
first year of such reform.
We also expect positive impacts of the pension reform but it could
not be carried out without a thorough preparation, Vidovic added.
During Tuesday's session, the lower house passed a final bill on the
census, scheduled for 1-15 April 2001. This is the first census
since Croatia won its independence.
The House of Representatives ratified a treaty between Croatia and
Italy on double tax avoidance.
(hina) jn/mm ms