PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE DISCUSSES MISUSE OF INTELLIGENCE SERVICES

( Editorial: --> 7737 ) ZAGREB, Oct 12 (Hina) - The Lower House Committee for internal affairs and national security on Monday opened a discussion about the alleged misuse of intelligence services. The discussion is held behind closed doors. All officials summonsed to attend the session did so - including those who publicly claimed of the intelligence services misuse as well as those who have been accused of this misuse. In an interview with a Zagreb daily, Croatian President Franjo Tudjman's Chief-of-Staff Hrvoje Sarinic, who last Friday resigned from all his state and party duties in the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), including membership to the party, claimed that the president's advisor Ivic Pasalic and General Markica Rebic, assistant defence minister responsible for intelligence and security issues, had misused the Croatian Intelligence Service (SIS) in an effort to remove "liberal" HDZ members from the political scene. Another presidential advisor, Franjo Greguric, also made claims in an interview accusing the intelligence services of overstepping authority. At its last meeting held on October 1, the Committee had decided to invite all four officials to give evidence regarding the charges made. All four responded to the summonses. Ivic Pasalic, a member of the Committee, said that he did not wish to participate in the Committee's activities but only give evidence. Following a brief debate, the Committee decided by a majority vote (six in favour and five against) that the session would be held behind closed doors. Croatian Democratic Union's (HDZ) Drago Krpina suggested that the session be closed to the public referring to Article 250 of the House of Representatives' Rule Book, which notes that sessions of the Sabor's (Parliament) working committees could be held without the presence of the public. In support of his argument, Krpina cited Article 7 of the Law on the Protection of Confidential Data, which says that a state secret could include military, political and other evaluations and analyses important for military and national security and for the interests of the Croatian state. As it is possible that information of this nature could be brought out at today's meeting, Krpina suggested that the meeting be held without the presence of journalists. He emphasised that this could add to the objectiveness of the Committee and help avoid any attempts of political manipulation of data which could be presented at today's session. Opposition members in the Committee, Social Democratic Party's (SDP) Antun Vujic, Istrian Democratic Assembly's (IDS) Damir Kajin and Croatian Peasant Party's (HSS) Zlatko Tomcic, voted against Krpina's recommendation. Croatian Social Liberal Party's (HSLS) Jozo Rados said that the question of the presence of journalists should be discussed if and when it was evident that discussions would lead to releasing state and military secrets. Opposition members stressed that excluding the public from further discussion could make room for political manipulation and that the confidentiality of the information to be discussed regarding this matter had already been violated once the issue had been discussed by the National Council of the Croatian Democratic Union as a party body. Eleven of a total of 13 members of the Committee for Internal Affairs and National Security, attended today's session. The meeting was attended by a large number of MP's - leaders of opposition parties - who are not members of the Committee yet according to the Sabor's Rule Book are allowed to participate in the work of any Sabor working committee. Numerous journalists will await the results of the meeting in front of the hall in the Croatian Sabor building where the meeting is taking place. (Hina) sp jn /rml 121617 MET oct 98