CROATIAN LOWER HOUSE PASSES CRIMINAL LAW

ZAGREB, Sept 19 (Hina) - The House of Representatives of the Croatian parliament on Friday passed three acts from a criminal legislation package. Eighty-four representatives voted for the Criminal Law, while three absented. The Courts for Youth Law and the Protection of Emotionally Unstable Persons Law were also passed with a majority of vote. The parliament's Lower House concluded this week's activities with the passing of numerous laws on the ratification of international agreements. The 21st session will continue next week. Parliament president Vlatko Pavletic announced a joint session the parliament's two houses will hold on 23 September, at which Turkish President Suleyman Demirel is to make an address. The Criminal Law stipulates, among else, the duration of long- term imprisonment, from 20 to 40 years, and adjusts terms concerning the secret of state, as well as official, business, professional and military secrets, to related laws. This Act also stipulates criminal activities against sexual freedom and sexual morality, against matrimony, the family and youth. New aspects of the Criminal Act include the individualization of the penalty, the affirmation of a fine, the possibility to exchange imprisonment with work for the common cause, as well as the introduction of a so called long-term imprisonment for the most serious crimes. An article on spreading false information aroused most attention in today's discussion. The representatives adopted an amendment proposed by the government, under which persons spreading information they know are untrue, with the aim to unsettle the larger population, and succeed in doing so, will be sentenced with a fine worth 150 daily wages or a six-month-imprisonment term. The parliament representatives also adopted an amendment proposed by Vladimir Seks and Drago Krpina, under which persons engaging in unauthorized manufacturing or selling of hallucinogenic drugs will be sentenced to one to ten year, or long-term, imprisonment. With the passing of laws on the ratification of international conventions, including a general convention on the protection of national minorities, Croatia is complying with obligations undertaken upon admission to the Council of Europe. With an act on the ratification of an agreement between Croatia and Italy on the rights of minorities, Croats in Italy get national minority status for the first time. The said act also protects the already existing rights of the Italian minority in Croatia. The Croatian-Italian agreement stipulates that the Italian Union represents Italians in Croatia, but need not be the only representative. The Croatian parliament's Lower House today also passed laws on the ratification of an agreement between Croatia and Germany on the reception of returnees, as well as agreements on social insurance Croatia signed with Slovenia, Austria and Macedonia. (hina) ha jn 191951 MET sep 97