ZAGREB, Nov 24 (Hina)- Franjo Tudjman, President of the Republic +and of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) could soon meet +representatives of the Opposition, high-ranking HDZ official +Vladimir Seks said on Tuesday. + The
meeting would tackle the election law and a parliamentary +debate on alleged malpractice and abuse of authority by +intelligence services. + Pending on fulfilment of certain conditions, the meeting could take +place as early as next week, vice president of the Croatian National +Sabor (parliament) and the HDZ said. Explaining these conditions, +Seks said the two sides should agree on whether the President would +receive only the block of six Opposition parties or representatives +of all parliamentary Opposition parties. + Asked by reporters to comment on certain allegations about the +meeting in the press, he answered that discussions on the +preparation of the
ZAGREB, Nov 24 (Hina)- Franjo Tudjman, President of the Republic
and of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) could soon meet
representatives of the Opposition, high-ranking HDZ official
Vladimir Seks said on Tuesday.
The meeting would tackle the election law and a parliamentary
debate on alleged malpractice and abuse of authority by
intelligence services.
Pending on fulfilment of certain conditions, the meeting could take
place as early as next week, vice president of the Croatian National
Sabor (parliament) and the HDZ said. Explaining these conditions,
Seks said the two sides should agree on whether the President would
receive only the block of six Opposition parties or representatives
of all parliamentary Opposition parties.
Asked by reporters to comment on certain allegations about the
meeting in the press, he answered that discussions on the
preparation of the meeting were underway and that the meeting would
be held unconditionally.
Seks mentioned two topics that could open the meeting: certain
provisions of the election law and the possibility of a
parliamentary discussion on the functioning of intelligence
services. The meeting should also decide whether the functioning of
the intelligence services should be discussed at a plenary session
of the Parliament or at a meeting of the parliamentary committee.
Representatives of the six Opposition parties are demanding
certain changes to the election law, including the dropping of a
special slate for the Croatian Diaspora. They are also asking for
the establishment of a parliamentary commission for the
investigation of possible misuse of intelligence services.
Because this request was refused, last week MPs of the six
Opposition parties and some independent MPs representing the
minorities in the House of Representatives resigned from their
parliamentary duties.
Seks emphasised that the interpartisan meeting between the HDZ and
the "Opposition six" has been initiated by both sides. The
initiative was launched before a meeting between President Tudjman
and the Austrian Foreign Minister Wolfgang Schuessel (last
Friday). President Tudjman informed Schuessel about preparations
for the meeting.
(Hina) jn mr/rml