CROATIA'S LOWER HOUSE IN SESSION

ZAGREB, March 20 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament's House of Representatives on Tuesday morning commenced a discussion on draft amendments to the Constitutional Law on the Constitutional Court, which should stipulate possibilities for local and regional authorities to influence the adoption of laws after the House of Counties (upper house) be abolished. The constitutional amendments, passed last November, provided for an increase of the number of Constitutional Court judges from 11 to 13 as well as for changes in the election of those judges, and that's why it is necessary to change the Constitutional Law on the Constitutional Court as well, said Mato Arlovic (of the Social Democratic Party, SDP) on behalf of 38 MPs who drafted the amendments to the said act. As the latest proposed amendments to the Constitution propose the abolishment of the House of Counties, the changes to the said Constitutional Law should also regulate the possibilities for regional self-government to influence the adoption of laws in which local authorities are interested. There is a suggestion that counties' assemblies could lodge a request about the assessment whether some act is in compliance with the Constitution, if the assemblies believe that the act in concern encroaches on their rights. In this case, the Constitutional Court will have to make a ruling on the matter in an urgent procedure within 30 days, Arlovic explained. The lower house continued this discussion. (hina) ms