GROUP CLAIMS CONSTITUTIONAL COURT SHOULD LOOK AT ELECTION LAW

( Editorial: --> 0455 ) ZAGREB, June 11 (Hina) - Speaking at a panel discussion titled "How To Protect the Interests of Voters", Croatian Movement for Democracy and Social Justice general secretary Ivo Slaus said the Constitutional Court should scrutinise the election law. The provision enfranchising the Croat Diaspora violates the basic constitutional principle of the equality of all citizens, Slaus said in Zagreb on Thursday. The initiative for scrutinising the election law was initiated at the panel discussion by political scientist Mirjana Kasapovic. She explained that the provision enabling Croatian citizens living abroad to vote for members of the Croatian National Parliament violated the constitutional principle of civic equality. The election law gives the Croat Diaspora civic rights, but not the duties. Thus, due to the fact that it does not live in Croatia, the Diaspora is exempt from paying Croatian taxes, Kasapovic said. On the other hand, the law does not give full justice to the Diaspora, because it does not envisage voting by the Diaspora in local elections. Namely, being residents of other countries, Diaspora Croats are not registered in any of the Croatian municipalities. Other organisers of today's panel discussion were the Croatian Judicial Centre and the civic organisations Citizens for Organised Monitoring of the Elections and Transition Towards Democracy. (Hina) mro /mbr 112157 MET jun 98