CROATIA'S GOVERNMENT RESPONDS TO PARLIAMENTARIANS' QUESTIONS

ZAGREB, Oct 18 (Hina) - Croatia's Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa and government officials responded to questions of parliamentarians at the House of Representatives' session on Friday morning. A deputy of Serb People's Party (SNS), Milan Djukic asked what was the point of the recently adopted general amnesty law, if some ethnic Serbs, charged with armed rebellion, were released in line with the general amnesty only to face re-instituted proceedings, by the state attorney, against them for crimes under Article 120 of Croatian criminal law. Announcing that he would give a written statement on a number of released detainees, Croatia's Justice Minister Miroslav Separovic said the general amnesty law could not be taken in consideration for war crimes suspects or those accused of war crimes. The general amnesty also could not be applied in cases when there were several instituted proceedings under way for the one person, Separovic added. Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa said that how much the enforcement of recently enacted law on compensation for seized property would cost, could be known after proposing a bill on the compensation fund (by the end of this year), and, he added, funds would be provided from the budget. Asked by Vladimir Primorac (Croatian Social and Liberal Party or HSLS) whether Croatia's President would withdraw the so-called war decrees, Justice Minister Separovic said military tribunals should be repealed by amendments to the law on court, which will be soon sent to the second reading in the Parliament. When such law was adopted, the rescinding of the decrees would be proposed to President of the Republic, Separovic added. (hina) mm mš 181235 MET oct 96