ZAGREB, Sept 24 (Hina) - The current law on the Government's authority to pass decrees on certain issues expires on October 8. In addition, the mandate of the current National Parliament expires towards the end of November. As a
result the Government forwarded a proposed bill for urgent parliamentary procedure by which the Government requests that it be given the authority to pass decrees in the period between parliaments. During a discussion of Friday's session of the House of Representatives, MP's of opposition benches opposed the adoption of such an act. "The Government needs to refrain from legislative activities", Srecko Bijelic said on behalf of the Croatian Peoples' Party bench. The bill however, limits the Government in that it would not have the power to pass decrees for issues in keeping with limitations set by the Constitution, for example to adopt or change the state budget or tax systems. The G
ZAGREB, Sept 24 (Hina) - The current law on the Government's
authority to pass decrees on certain issues expires on October 8. In
addition, the mandate of the current National Parliament expires
towards the end of November. As a result the Government forwarded a
proposed bill for urgent parliamentary procedure by which the
Government requests that it be given the authority to pass decrees
in the period between parliaments.
During a discussion of Friday's session of the House of
Representatives, MP's of opposition benches opposed the adoption
of such an act.
"The Government needs to refrain from legislative activities",
Srecko Bijelic said on behalf of the Croatian Peoples' Party
bench.
The bill however, limits the Government in that it would not have
the power to pass decrees for issues in keeping with limitations set
by the Constitution, for example to adopt or change the state budget
or tax systems.
The Government has to date passed 17 such decrees (one was since
adopted as an act) and it is hard to believe that the new House of
Representatives would be able to resolve these decrees at its early
sessions. It was therefore recommended that the validity of these
decrees be extended to 30 June 2000.
The proposed bill came across sharp criticism amongst the
Opposition evaluating that this gave the Government too much
authority. This would limit the role of the Sabor (Parliament). The
Government should have less authority with regard to the state of
the economy, Zeljko Pavlic of the Croatian Social Liberal Party.
Mato Arlovic speaking on behalf of the Social Democratic Party
bench cautioned that with the bill could give the Government the
power to "exceptionally determine issues within current economic
policies". Based on these "exceptions of exceptions", the
Government could practically determine everything by decree,
Arlovic said.
He reminded that the Government decided to sell 35 per cent of
shares in Croatian Telecommunications (HT) even though the Law on
the Privatisation of HT determines the sale of at least 25 per cent
plus one share. "It is possible, that during the period of its power
to pass decrees, the Government could sell off all our assets", he
added.
Srecko Bijelic proposed that the bill not be adopted until the
Government specified exactly which issues it would deal with.
Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) MP's supported the bill. It's
logical, Vladimir Seks said, that the Government be given this
authority as the new Sabor would not be convened for two to three
months.
Seks refuted objections that the bill would be a burden to the new
government and that the transfer of government should be regulated.
"We in the HDZ believe that there won't be a change of government and
we will remain to be the ruling party, but the Opposition can keep
hoping", he said.
(hina) sp