CROATIAN HOUSE OF REPS DISCUSS FOREIGN POLICY WITHOUT OPPOSITION

ZAGREB, March 23 (Hina) - Croatia's House of Representatives today continued to debate yesterday's report from Foreign Minister, Mate Granic, on the agreement reached in principle on the new UN mandate in Croatia. This afternoon the debate heated and the height of the session came when Speaker, Nedjeljko Mihanovic, asked House deputy speaker, Vladimir Seks, to lead the session because he had other engagements. Members banged benches outraged that the session would not be led by the first deputy speaker, Goran Granic. Referring to article 39 of the books of procedure, Goran Granic (Croatian Social Liberal Party, HSLS) read the rules under which the first deputy speaker should replace the main speaker if he is absent. Seks confirmed Granic's statement but added that the decision on him as the first deputy speaker was not yet in force because the book of procedure says that he could assume the task only after his appointment is announced in the "Narodne novine" (the official paper). Despite grudging and loud ejaculations from benches Seks persisted in his decision, so that most of the opposition parties' deputies left the session. Besides the ruling Croatian Democratic Union deputies only members of the Croatian Party of Law (HSP), several independent deputies and Dragan Hinic from the Serb National Party (SNS) stayed in the House. After comments from three deputies, Foreign Minister Granic responded to questions from the two-day debate on his report. (hina) jn sd mms 232129 MET mar 95