ZAGREB, Feb 3 (Hina) - Representatives of Croatian opposition parties on Wednesday opposed changes to the Lower House Rule Book, motioned by the Committee for the Constitution, Rule Book and Political System on Tuesday. Opposition
representatives criticised the possibility that sessions of committees for internal affairs and national security be closed to the public. They were also sceptical about announced changes in putting questions to the government during question time. Mato Arlovic of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) said the SDP advocated radical, consensually reached changes to the Rule Book, and wanted the Rule Book to secure higher democracy and more possibilities for the work of all representatives. Jozo Rados of the Croatian Social Liberal Party said closing sessions at this moment represented an attempt to avoid a public debate on security services. With regard to question time, Rados s
ZAGREB, Feb 3 (Hina) - Representatives of Croatian opposition
parties on Wednesday opposed changes to the Lower House Rule Book,
motioned by the Committee for the Constitution, Rule Book and
Political System on Tuesday.
Opposition representatives criticised the possibility that
sessions of committees for internal affairs and national security
be closed to the public.
They were also sceptical about announced changes in putting
questions to the government during question time.
Mato Arlovic of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) said the SDP
advocated radical, consensually reached changes to the Rule Book,
and wanted the Rule Book to secure higher democracy and more
possibilities for the work of all representatives.
Jozo Rados of the Croatian Social Liberal Party said closing
sessions at this moment represented an attempt to avoid a public
debate on security services.
With regard to question time, Rados said it was the optimal modus of
cooperation between parliament and the government, and believed it
should not be shortened.
The Croatian Peasants' Party and the Croatian Party of Rights also
opposed limiting question time and closing sessions of the
Committee for National Security.
The proposed changes were endorsed by Vice Vukojevic of the ruling
Croatian Democratic Union. He said representatives' questions
should be simplified to enable as many representatives as possible
to make questions. This was the whole reason behind the procedure on
how to put questions to the government, he added.
The changes to the Rule Book were adopted by the Committee for the
Constitution on Tuesday.
The proposed closing of Committee for Internal Affairs sessions to
the public were explained by committee chairman Vladimir Seks as a
practice used in other European countries.
According to proposed changes, members of the Committee for
National Security will have the right to decide whether other MPs
may attend.
The proposed changes to the Rule Book give representatives the
right to one minute questions during question time, and a one minute
comment on the response, which can last two minutes.
(hina) ha jn