ZAGREB, Nov 6 (Hina) - The Croatian National Parliament is this week scheduled to discuss motioned amendments to the Constitution, the essential goal of which is the transformation of a semi-presidential political system into a
parliamentary one. If the motion is adopted it will be the second amended Croatian Constitution in the ten years of its existence.
ZAGREB, Nov 6 (Hina) - The Croatian National Parliament is this week
scheduled to discuss motioned amendments to the Constitution, the
essential goal of which is the transformation of a semi-
presidential political system into a parliamentary one. If the
motion is adopted it will be the second amended Croatian
Constitution in the ten years of its existence. #L#
The Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, the so-called
Christmas Constitution, was adopted in December 1990, defining the
state as a unified, democratic and social state with full
sovereignty and equal rights of all of its citizens.
In line with this basic law, Croatia was also defined as a national
state of the Croatian people and members of all peoples and
nationalities living in it.
At the time Croatia had still formally and legally been a part of the
former Social Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, so the Constitution
defined ways in which Croatia could be aligned or disassociated
from other countries: the decision on association or
disassociation is passed by the Parliament with a two-third
majority of votes, after which a referendum is called.
The Parliament's decision is confirmed at the referendum should it
receive the majority of votes of the electorate.
In line with this provision, a referendum was held in May of 1991, at
which more than 94 per cent of the electorate in Croatia voted for an
independent and sovereign Republic of Croatia.
In December 1991 the Constitution was amended. Croatia was thus
defined as a national state of the Croatian people and members of
autochtonous national minorities. The minorities were specified:
Serbs, Czechs, Slovaks, Italians, Hungarians, Jews, Germans,
Austrians, Ruthenians, and others, citizens of Croatia.
According to constitutional amendments of 1997, Croatia's
association with states, which could cause a renewal of a Yugoslav
state unison or any other Balkan state alliance, was prohibited.
The name of the Croatian Parliament was changed into the Croatian
National Parliament (Hrvatski drzavni sabor), and the National
Bank of Croatia was renamed into Croatian National Bank.
Since the passing the Christmas Constitution, several
constitutional laws have been adopted.
In December 1991 the Parliament adopted the Constitutional Law on
the Rights and Freedoms of Man and the Rights of Ethnic and National
Communities or Minorities in Croatia. It stipulates the protection
of the equality of minorities which have the right to cultural
autonomy, identity, religion, public and private use of their
national language and script, as well as education.
In April of 1996 the Constitutional Law on Croatia's Cooperation
with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
in The Hague was passed, obligating Croatia's cooperation with the
Tribunal.
The Constitutional Law on the rights and freedoms of man and the
rights of national minorities was amended this May.
According to most members of Parliament, the amendments more
efficiently regulate the rights of national minorities, and some,
they assessed, are significantly more above international
standards.
Following a process which lasted severla months, the Parliament
will discuss a final motion to constitutional amendments this week,
directed at the establishment of a parliamentary political
system.
The discussion is expected to raise interest, considering that not
all details have been harmonised, causing several amendments to be
announced.
(hina) lml jn