ZAGREB, Nov 22 (Hina) - Croatian parliamentary parties on Monday agreed that the institute of temporary disability of the President of the Republic to perform his duties be introduced in the legal system through a constitutional law.
Talks on the text of such a law will resume tomorrow within a working group, Parliament President Vlatko Pavletic said after a meeting with the heads of parties and party benches.
ZAGREB, Nov 22 (Hina) - Croatian parliamentary parties on Monday
agreed that the institute of temporary disability of the President
of the Republic to perform his duties be introduced in the legal
system through a constitutional law.
Talks on the text of such a law will resume tomorrow within a working
group, Parliament President Vlatko Pavletic said after a meeting
with the heads of parties and party benches. #L#
Croatian National Parliament houses of Representatives and
Counties will hold sessions on Wednesday, November 24.
The introduction of the institute of temporary disability was
initiated by the health of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and
the fact that there is no provision about temporary disability,
only about permanent disability, president of the ruling Croatian
Democratic Union (HDZ) parliamentary party bench, Vladimir Seks,
said Monday.
Premier Zlatko Matesa made a brief appearance at the meeting at the
request of the Opposition Six.
"We had reserves towards the HDZ motion to regulate the temporary
disability of the president of the Republic, if we do not receive a
clear explanation by the Government about the President's health
condition," coordinator of the Opposition Six, Ivica Racan said.
The six opposition parties requested the explanation to ascertain
"whether action should be taken based on the Constitution which
tackles permanent disability," Racan said.
According to Pavletic, Matesa said that he did not have special
insight into the condition of the President of the Republic, namely
that he knew only what was stated in the reports of the doctors'
team, which he said was not sufficient for initiating the procedure
of establishing permanent disability of the President of the
Republic.
Racan confirmed this, saying the Government, based on statements of
the doctors' consultation, did not have sufficient knowledge to
apply Article 97 of the Constitution (on permanent disability).
Matesa, Racan said, was not even informed about who makes up the
doctors' consultation.
"We accept that information at the moment", Opposition Six
coordinator Ivica Racan said.
Talks on the text of the constitutional law will continue on Tuesday
within a working group consisting Vladimir Seks (HDZ), Luka Trconic
of the Croatian peasants' Party (HSS), Mato Arlovic of the Social
Democratic Party (SDP) and Anto Djapic of the Croatian Party of
Rights (HSP).
In their statements, Pavletic, Racan and Seks expressed hope the
constitutional law would be adopted by consensus.
"I sincerely hope that today's consensus about the sense and
content of the constitutional law which would regulate the
institute of temporary disability would be fully implemented, and
that the Parliament will on Wednesday reach a consensus and adopt
the constitutional law," Seks said.
The constitutional law would become effective immediately and the
Lower house would promote it immediately.
The HDZ finds the notion of applying the institute of permanent
disability unacceptable, because it would mean prejudging the life
path of the President of the Republic, Seks said.
The HDZ agrees with the establishment of the institute of temporary
disability which would be valid in the future, he said.
The HDZ received Monday's statement by the doctors' consultation
about the President's health condition with infinite concern, Seks
said.
(hina) lml jn