ZAGREB, Oct 28 (Hina) - The final bill on changes to the Law on Local Administration and Self-Government, which was adopted by the Croatian Government on Thursday, introduces, among other things, the office of county principal, so
that any further "overlapping of tasks of state administration and local self-government" is avoided. The head of the State Directorate for State Administration and Local Self-Government, Antun Palaric, said the office of county prefect currently incorporates two offices, because a county prefect is a state official and a representative of the executive authority, but he is elected by the county assembly, which is a body of local self-government. According to the proposed changes, municipal heads, mayors, and county principals would be elected by county assemblies, whereas county prefects and deputy prefects would be appointed and relieved of their duties by the President of the
ZAGREB, Oct 28 (Hina) - The final bill on changes to the Law on Local
Administration and Self-Government, which was adopted by the
Croatian Government on Thursday, introduces, among other things,
the office of county principal, so that any further "overlapping of
tasks of state administration and local self-government" is
avoided.
The head of the State Directorate for State Administration and
Local Self-Government, Antun Palaric, said the office of county
prefect currently incorporates two offices, because a county
prefect is a state official and a representative of the executive
authority, but he is elected by the county assembly, which is a body
of local self-government.
According to the proposed changes, municipal heads, mayors, and
county principals would be elected by county assemblies, whereas
county prefects and deputy prefects would be appointed and relieved
of their duties by the President of the State at the Government's
request.
Palaric said these changes were in line with recommendations of the
Council of Europe, which regulate cooperation between
municipalities, towns, and counties with the units of local self-
government in other states.
The Government has sent into parliamentary procedure the final bill
on the ID card, which would be bilingual (Croatian, English) and
contain first the surname and then the name of the owner.
Presenting a report of the Commission for Securities, the
Commission's president Ivica Smiljan said it was money markets that
were most sensitive to the signs of recession. This can be seen from
the fact that the overall turnover at the Zagreb Stock Exchange in
1998 amounted to 928.8 million kuna (about US$129.3 million), which
is 55.7 per cent less than the year before. Trade in shares amounted
to 624.5 million kuna (US$86.9 million), which is 59.3 per cent less
than in 1997.
After voicing strong criticism, Government members negatively
assessed a bill on changes to the law regulating the rights of
Croatian Homeland War soldiers and their family members, which was
suggested by a group of parliamentary representatives. The
ministers warned "about the demagogy of those who suggested the
changes, because the Government is usually demanded to cut the
public spending and now it is suggested that the budget be
redoubled".
Answering to a suggestion that the new rights for soldiers be
ensured by selling cars etc., the Premier said the state
administration had 1,100 vehicles, of which 70 per cent belonged to
the Interior and Defence Ministries, the estimated average value of
which was 50,000 kuna per vehicle (about US$7,140). The annual
salaries of government officials amount to five million kuna (about
US$700,000) and if to this a much higher amount for MPs is added and
if the vehicles are sold, one could get 160 million kuna (US$22.2
million), Matesa said.
Explaining that the pension fund is allocated six billion kuna
(US$0.83 billion), whereas three billion kuna are allocated to
soldiers, Matesa said the demagogy in question "is very cheap",
adding "the political competition has to have limits".
(hina) jn rml