BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 3913

HR-BULLETINS-Politika BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 3913 BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 3913HINA Zagreb 23 February 2001RULING SIX PARTY COALITION ADVOCATES ABOLISHING HOUSE OF COUNTIESZAGREB, Feb 23 (Hina) - Most of the six parties comprising the ruling coalition in Croatia have voiced agreement with the idea to abolish parliament's House of Counties. Subsequently, the Croatian Constitution will soon be amended, Prime Minister Ivica Racan told reporters on Friday after a meeting of the six parties' leaders. Asked whether he expected the biggest opposition and strongest party in the upper house, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), to be a hindrance to new constitutional changes, Racan replied in the negative and stressed the ruling coalition was prepared for such surprises. The six parties' leaders today also discussed amending the Electoral Law for the upcoming local elections. They agreed a fixed date should be set for local elections, on the model of European countries, Ra