ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan on Monday said that following the adoption of the Constitution's amendments a law on national security would very soon be drawn up and proposed. He said it would be the
moment to appoint new people to the helm of secret services. Giving an interview to Croatian Radio's broadcast "How Does the Government Govern", PM Racan said that in the wake of the adoption of the constitutional changes it was possible that secret services' heads would make their mandates available. "They have failed to do so and most of them don't seem ready to do that," Racan said, adding it was still a matter of their good will but that such conduct could not be possible under new legal solutions. He announced that a new national security act, based on the constitutional changes, would be proposed in a few weeks to regulate the powers, competence and organisation of
ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan on
Monday said that following the adoption of the Constitution's
amendments a law on national security would very soon be drawn up
and proposed. He said it would be the moment to appoint new people to
the helm of secret services.
Giving an interview to Croatian Radio's broadcast "How Does the
Government Govern", PM Racan said that in the wake of the adoption
of the constitutional changes it was possible that secret services'
heads would make their mandates available.
"They have failed to do so and most of them don't seem ready to do
that," Racan said, adding it was still a matter of their good will
but that such conduct could not be possible under new legal
solutions.
He announced that a new national security act, based on the
constitutional changes, would be proposed in a few weeks to
regulate the powers, competence and organisation of secret
services and their control.
"It will be the time to appoint again people at the helm of the
secret services in line with the changed conditions, definition and
organisation of those offices," he said.
The premier is sure that necessary headway will be made in enhancing
the work of secret services. A precondition is to not have too many
people in them "who until recently have done a not very fair,
sometimes even dirty work."
He stressed that those services should take care about the
country's national security by controlling possible enemies rather
than its citizens. In order to ensure that quality, it is necessary
to have all possible forms of democratic supervision over
intelligence services and to have competent, honest and
responsible people employed with the services.
Racan said in general he was satisfied with the adoption of the
Constitution's amendments and with the Government's draft for a
2001 budget.
Asked to comment on HSLS (Croatian Social Liberal Party) leader
Drazen Budisa's assessment that the draft budget was too socially-
orientated and that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) planned to
use it for an equal distribution of poverty, Racan answered that the
budget was an issue on which all parties did not have to agree in all
aspects. I personally would like to see a budget more dedicated to
development and less to social needs, but legal rights should be
honoured, such as the return of the debt to pensioners and an
increase in child allowance, Racan added.
He stressed that during a parliamentary discussion his Cabinet
would insist on the respect for a limit in the expenditure
(earmarked budgetary items) of 50.855 billion kuna.
Racan announced the beginning of privatisation of state-run
companies such as INA (Oil Company) and HEP (Power Industry) for
mid-2001.
(hina) ms