OPPOSITION MOTIONS FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION OF INQUIRIES

( Editorial: --> 9674 ) ZAGREB, Oct 19 (Hina) - Thirty-one Croatian MPs signed a motion for the establishment of a commission of inquiries with the aim of uncovering possible misuse, unconstitutional and illegal acts of Croatian intelligence services. MPs will vote on the inclusion of the motion in the agenda of the 34th session of the House of Representatives on Wednesday. Vice-president of the Sabor (Parliament), Vladimir Seks, said last week, when the motion had been announced by opposition parties, that such a parliamentary commission would most probably not be established. The motion was delivered to all MPs. The commission of inquiries, according to the opposition, should carry out a general control of the constitutional basis and legality of the work of intelligence services, in order to unveil any possible misuses and self-willed acts that are contrary to the constitution and law. The commission would particularly make inquiries into the public accusations made by former senior state officials Hrvoje Sarinic and Franjo Greguric against the Croatian Defence Ministry' Security and Intelligence Service (SIS), as well as allegations of the tailing and wiretapping of reporters of the "Nacional" magazine, and the possible involvement of individuals from Imperijal and Vecernji List newspapers. In that context, the commission would also have to investigate the veracity of accusations made against Presidential Advisor for Internal Affairs, Ivic Pasalic and other persons who may, in the course of the investigation, be suspected of having misused intelligence services for their personal goals or any other unconstitutional or illegal purposes. The commission would, according to the motion, have the right to use any means necessary in order to obtain information about the true situation of intelligence services. It would be authorised to gather evidence or subpoena all those involved to testify, including officials of state bodies and the President of the Republic. In line with the Law on Commissions of Inquiries, the commission would have to complete its task within four months. The commission would have 15 members, eight from the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), six from parliamentary opposition parties, and one from the bench of independent MPs (national minorities). Public interest is high in the establishment of a commission of inquiries, because it has "remained reply-less in the face of heavy accusations in the cases of three former employees of the SIS and of the wiretapping of the president of the Supreme Court, Krunislav Olujic". The opposition said the aim of the motion for the establishment of a commission of inquiries was the need to establish whether there has occurred a misuse of Croatian intelligence services, the constitutionality and legality of their work. This aim is not possible to fulfil by forming a HDZ party commission and by involving the Committee for Internal Affairs and National Security, "because there is a real possibility that all facts and information 'remain' within the ruling party, although these are state issues of primary concern," the opposition MPs stressed (hina) lml 191936 MET oct 98