CROATIA'S LOWER HOUSE BEGINS DEBATE ON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

ZAGREB, Jan 27 (Hina) - The Croatian Parliament House of Representatives today began a debate on draft amendments to the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Law, which were proposed by Vladimir Seks and Andelko Gabric. Seks said the proposal was not motivated by political, personal or party reasons. The Chamber of Commerce Law and four other laws give the Chamber of Commerce legal powers in economic policy, Seks said. He said the executive branch of power was responsible for the implementation of economic policy and the instruments for its implementation. Seks proposed that the powers of the Chamber of Commerce pursuant to the laws on foreign trade, industrial ownership, and foreign and domestic road transport be transferred to the Economics Ministry and the Maritime Affairs, Transport and Communications Ministry. Gabric said he was concerned by the current principle of compulsory membership to the Chamber of Commerce and instead preferred voluntary membership. Chamber of Commerce president Mladen Vedris said the debate proposed by Seks was warranted. He called for the debate to concentrate on how to improve the Chamber. The Chamber of Commerce, as a forum for the business community, must play a greater role in creating economic policy, Vedris stressed. Social Liberal deputy Mladen Vilfan said Seks's proposal was characterized by strong political conotations. He said his party support the withdrawal of Seks's proposal from the parliamentary procedure, calling on the Government to draft a new law on the Chamber of Commerce. Seks responded to Vilfan that his attempt to convince the deputies that it was "an attack on the Chamber" was damaging. The debate was to resume after a break. (hina) mm sd vm 271603 MET jan 95