ZAGREB, July 30 (Hina) - Croatia's government abandoned its intention to insist on the urgent adoption of a constitutional bill on national minorities, and this draft act will thus undergo the regular procedure, i.e. two readings in
the parliamentary procedure.
ZAGREB, July 30 (Hina) - Croatia's government abandoned its
intention to insist on the urgent adoption of a constitutional bill
on national minorities, and this draft act will thus undergo the
regular procedure, i.e. two readings in the parliamentary
procedure. #L#
The government, the sponsor of the bill, withdrew its proposal for
the urgent procedure after the bench of the Croatian Peasant Party
(HSS) joined a majority of parliamentary benches that insisted on
the regular procedure for the passage of the said bill.
The parliamentary benches which were against the urgent procedure
were the benches of national minorities, the HDZ (Croatian
Democratic Union), HSP-HKDU (Croatian Party of Rights/Croatian
Christian democratic Union), IDS (Istrian Democratic Assembly), DC
(Democratic Centre), LS (Liberal Party), HNS-PGS-SBSH (Croatian
People's Party with two regional parties), and HSLS (Croatian
Social Liberals).
At the start of the parliamentary session, two benches (SDP and
independent liberals) were in favour of the urgent procedure.
Abandoning the plan for the urgent procedure, the resigned vice
premier, Goran Granic, said that regardless of the variant for the
adoption of the bill, the main subject of the discussion would be
Article 18 on the method for the election of representatives of
minorities in the parliament.
After that, the head of Social Democrat (SDP) bench, Mato Arlovic,
said his party would agree on the regular procedure, but this would
free his party from the obligation to stick to an agreement it had
made with minorities' MPs on Article 18.
In response to Arlovic's claims, Boris Graljuk, on behalf of the
minorities' bench, severely protested against such "threats".
Graljuk said his bench requested the regular procedure as the
constitutional bill had not on time been presented to citizens-
members of national minorities.
Other parliamentary benches urged the regular procedure, as it was
necessary, they say, to reach great consensus on the matter.
(hina) ms