ZAGREB, Nov 24 (Hina) - The Croatian National Sabor's House of Counties on Wednesday endorsed the adoption of a Constitutional Law on Croatian President's temporary disability to perform his duties. The draft bill was proposed by the
bench of the ruling HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union). During the vote 41 deputies were in favour of the adoption of that law, while 14 opposition MPs were against it. Opposition deputies were in principle for the adoption of the Constitutional Law, but what was unacceptable to them is the text of that act proposed by the HDZ and impossibility to reach agreement on the date of the parliamentary election. Addressing the upper house on behalf of the proposer (one fifth of MPs) of the draft law, Drago Krpina said the law envisaged the introduction on a new Constitutional institute - the temporary disability of Croatian President to perform his Constitutional duties
ZAGREB, Nov 24 (Hina) - The Croatian National Sabor's House of
Counties on Wednesday endorsed the adoption of a Constitutional Law
on Croatian President's temporary disability to perform his
duties. The draft bill was proposed by the bench of the ruling HDZ
(Croatian Democratic Union).
During the vote 41 deputies were in favour of the adoption of that
law, while 14 opposition MPs were against it.
Opposition deputies were in principle for the adoption of the
Constitutional Law, but what was unacceptable to them is the text of
that act proposed by the HDZ and impossibility to reach agreement on
the date of the parliamentary election.
Addressing the upper house on behalf of the proposer (one fifth of
MPs) of the draft law, Drago Krpina said the law envisaged the
introduction on a new Constitutional institute - the temporary
disability of Croatian President to perform his Constitutional
duties.
Krpina said that for the HDZ it was unacceptable to initiate a
procedure for establishing whether the President is permanently
prevented from performing his duties, as it would prejudge that
President Tudjman had no chances for recovery. This is the reason
why we in the HDZ decided to propose the incorporation of the
institute of the temporary disability of the President into the
Constitution, Krpina explained.
Any inter-party negotiations on the date of the election would
present a certain kind of the constitutional disempowerment of the
incumbent President of the Republic and that's why we could not
accept talks and agreements on the date of the election, the HDZ
official added.
Ratko Maricic on behalf of the SDP (Social and Democratic Party)
bench, voiced objections and remarks to the proposed draft text
asking who can initiate a procedure for the establishment of the
President's temporary disability, namely, who establishes whether
the President can or cannot perform his duties. Maricic wondered
whether it would be the Government and on the grounds of which it can
establish that temporary disability or whether it is up to a
doctors' team.
Zarko Katic of the HSLS (Croatian Social and Liberal Party) bench,
maintained that there were elements for the establishment of
Croatian President's disability to perform his duties. Experts'
opinion or findings of the doctors' team should serve as a starting
point for the Government to propose to the Constitutional Court to
decide whether President was prevented from carrying out his
duties.
Katic added that at a time when the country is being under special
circumstances all parliamentary parties should agree on the date of
the election as it is the least they can do.
Zeljko Pecek of the HSS (Croatian Peasants' Party) bench, also held
that there was no reason not to open the issue of a date of the
election. According to Pecek, it should not be interpreted in the
public that the reason why the consensus on the Constitutional Law
had not been reached was the failure to agree on the date of the
election, as it is the general interest.
Pecek wanted to know who would replace the Sabor's President in case
he was prevented from performing his duties and how that person
might be elected.
Addressing the upper house on behalf of the LS (Liberal Party)
bench, Tereza Ganza-Aras, conveyed the opinion that the conditions
had been met for the existent Constitutional provisions about the
President's permanent prevention from performing his duties to
come into effect.
She said the LS had shown readiness for the adoption of the
(proposed) Constitutional Law despite a too long time term for the
duration of the temporary disability of the President.
Ganza-Aras also said there was no reason not to reach consensus on
the date of the election and under such circumstances her party
cannot accept any proposal which, as she said, contains too many
unacceptable solutions.
Emil Soldatic of the IDS (Istrian Democratic Alliance) bench,
expressed the stand that in case of the establishment of the
President's temporary disability and after its extension the
permanent disability should be automatically established.
The House of Counties ended its 36th session.
(hina) ms