CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE REJECTS OPPOSITION'S ELECTORAL BILL

ZAGREB, Oct 20 (Hina)- The Committee for the Constitution, Rule Book and Political System of the Croatian Sabor (parliament) rejected on Tuesday an electoral bill drafted by six opposition parties. As the main reason for the rejection the Committee cited the bill's annulment of a special list for the diaspora. Although it has not been backed by the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), the bill will be debated by the Sabor. Speaking on behalf of the six parties that put forward the bill (the SDP, the HSLS, the HSS, the IDS, the LS and the HNS) Ivica Racan and Drazen Budisa said Croatia was bound to passing a new election law by conditions for membership in the Council of Europe signed by the presidents of the state and the Sabor. Speaking on the behalf of the HDZ, Committee chairman Vladimir Seks claimed that the opposition's claim was not true. Quoting a report on the last election by the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Cooperation and Security in Europe, Seks said Croatia was obliged only to consider objections to the existence of a special diaspora list, not to accept them. "And that is exactly what we are doing", said he. Racan denied allegations that the opposition's election law would make it impossible for the diaspora to elect and be elected. The bill enables representation of the diaspora in both houses of the Sabor, which is not the case now. "All we are bringing into question is the existence of a special list for the diaspora", Racan said. The six opposition parties are the Social Democratic Party of Croatia (SDP), the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), the Croatian Peasants Party (HSS), the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS), the Liberal Party (LS), and the Croatian People's Party (HNS). (hina) mr/ha