ZAGREB, Oct 21 (Hina) - Due to a lack of quorum, the Croatian Sabor's +(Parliament) House of Counties on Wednesday failed to vote on +several bills discussed during the day.+ The session was closed with only some 20 MPs in attendance.
+ Discussed at today's session were two bills on changes to the Law on +the Election of Representatives to Parliament. The bills had been +proposed by Ivan Gabelica of the Croatian Pure Party of Rights +(HCSP) and three Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) MPs in the Lower +House.+ Explaining the bill, Gabelica said that the main objection to the +existing election law was that it was contrary to the Constitution +and suggested that some of its provisions be annulled.+ The provisions in question regulate the right of national +minorities to elect their representatives in special electoral +units. The current law enables minority members to, unlike other +citizens, vote twi
ZAGREB, Oct 21 (Hina) - Due to a lack of quorum, the Croatian Sabor's
(Parliament) House of Counties on Wednesday failed to vote on
several bills discussed during the day.
The session was closed with only some 20 MPs in attendance.
Discussed at today's session were two bills on changes to the Law on
the Election of Representatives to Parliament. The bills had been
proposed by Ivan Gabelica of the Croatian Pure Party of Rights
(HCSP) and three Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) MPs in the Lower
House.
Explaining the bill, Gabelica said that the main objection to the
existing election law was that it was contrary to the Constitution
and suggested that some of its provisions be annulled.
The provisions in question regulate the right of national
minorities to elect their representatives in special electoral
units. The current law enables minority members to, unlike other
citizens, vote twice - once for candidates from their own electoral
unit and the second time for the candidate of the minority they
belong to, Gabelica believes.
Unconstitutional are also regulations enabling those minorities
which make more than eight per cent of the overall population to
have more rights than other minorities with smaller percentage in
the overall population, because they can elect more
representatives, Gabelica further remarked.
The existing election threshold of five per cent is too high, he
noted, suggesting that it be lowered to three per cent.
The HSP proposed that the existing election threshold should remain
the same, as well as that the diaspora election list should remain.
However, one should introduce the practice of voting by post as in
the United States, HSP representatives believe.
The HSP further proposed that MPs at the Lower House should be
elected only by proportional representation through state
rosters.
The House of Counties today also had a short discussion about
changes to the Law on Health Insurance, proposed by the Committee
for Economy and Finances. According to these changes, funds for
health insurance for elderly people who run family farms would be
secured from the state and not county budgets.
The proposed changes were hailed by the Croatian Democratic Union
(HDZ).
The Upper House also discussed changes to the Law on Financial
Incentives and Compensation in Agriculture and Fishery.
The bills discussed today will be voted on at the next session.
(hina) rml/ab