ZAGREB, 16 June (Hina) - The Croatian Parliament House of Counties on Monday ended its session by adopting several bills, including a bill on the confirmation of a contract on minorities' rights between Croatia and Italy, which is in
urgent parliamentary procedure.
ZAGREB, 16 June (Hina) - The Croatian Parliament House of Counties on
Monday ended its session by adopting several bills, including a bill on
the confirmation of a contract on minorities' rights between Croatia and
Italy, which is in urgent parliamentary procedure. #L#
Commenting on the contract, Foreign Minister Mate Granic stressed
its importance for the development of the Croatian-Italian relations.
The contract is our contribution to European peace and stability
and a foundation for the signing of a Croatian-Italian agreement on
friendship and cooperation, which should be signed this year, Granic
said.
The bill envisages the protection of the acquired rights of the
Italian minority in Croatia and grants the Croat minority in Italy, for
the first time, the status of autochtonous national minority, Granic
said.
The upper house also supported two bills on the ratification of a
contract on avoiding double-taxation and preventing income and property
tax evasion between Croatia and Ukraine and Hungary.
The MPs also supported the final bill on character development and
education in languages of ethnic and national communities or minorities.
The bill, which is in the third reading, regulates who can go to a
minority school. It also regulates classes for the children of members
of ethnic minorities as well as the priority of employing teachers who
are members of ethnic minorities.
According to the bill, Croat children will also attend classes in
minorities' schools in cases where it is possible to organise classes in
Croatian.
Welcoming the bill, Vojislav Stanimirovic of the Serb Independent
Democratic Party (SDSS) proposed the adoption of a bill on the official
use of language and script of ethnic minorities in areas where those
minorities represent majority or relative majority.
Stanimirovic, who participated in the work of the upper house for
the first time, thanked President Tudjman for his appointment.
The upper house also supported the final bill on changes and
amendments to the Law on Education Inspection and the final bill on
expert and pedagogical supervision.
The upper house postponed a discussion on a bill on Croatian Post
and Telecommunications (HPT), which was earlier sent to parliament for
the first reading.
Zlatko Komadina of the Social-Democratic Party (SDP) described the
bill as too sketchy. There was no explanation of why the bill - which
envisages the transformation of the public company into two joint stock
companies - should actually be adopted.
The HPT is making largest profits in Croatia and it has some 22,000
employees, so the MPs have the right to a more detailed explanation,
Ivan Ninic of SDP said.
The upper house also heard a report on the situation,
rehabilitation, restructuring and development of the Croatian Railways.
The report is to be discussed at tomorrow's session.
(hina) rm
162229 MET jun 97