LOWER HOUSE MANDATE EXPIRED MIDNIGHT SATURDAY

ZAGREB, Nov 28 (Hina) - The mandate of the Croatian National Sabor House of Representatives, constituted on November 28, 1995, expired at midnight Saturday, in line with the Constitution which stipulates that MPs are chosen into the houses of the Croatian National Parliament on a four-year mandate. The Lower House will be elected at the upcoming, fourth multi-party elections scheduled for January 3, 2000. During the past four years the Lower House held 44 sessions, passed almost 500 laws, adopted several hundred decisions, discussed over 1,150 documents, including almost 500 passed laws, adopted declarations, resolutions, and adopted decisions. In the past four years the Lower House passed a number of exceptionally important laws, including those that rounded up the pension, tax, justice system reform...etc. The house of Representatives passed amendments to the Constitution, adopted three exceptionally important Constitutional laws; the Law on the Cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the new Constitutional Law on the Constitutional Court, as well as the Constitutional Law on the Temporary Disability of the President of the Republic to Perform his Duties. This Constitutional Law on President's Temporary Disability was passed at the last, 44th session held on November 24. In line with the law, the Constitutional Court decided to appoint president of the Croatian National Sabor Vlatko Pavletic acting President of the Republic on November 26. In that capacity, on Saturday Pavletic called elections for the Lower House to be held on January 3, 2000. (hina) it