ISTRIAN DEMOCRATIC ASSEMBLY PROTESTS AGAINST EU OFFICIAL BEING PREVENTED FROM ENTERING PARLIAMENT

PREVENTED FROM ENTERING PARLIAMENT ( Editorial: --> 1813 ) ZAGREB, June 17 (Hina) - The Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) bench in the Croatian National Parliament protested against the holding up of Mark Fawcett, a political advisor in the EU's mission to Croatia, at the entrance to the Parliament building during his visit to the IDS bench on Tuesday. Fawcett was held up on the grounds that he did not possess adequate documents and that his visit had not been announced to the Parliament's protocol department, a statement from the IDS bench said. The IDS Bench claims that Fawcett has already paid numerous visits to parliamentary officials, stressing that this is the first time he was prevented from entering the Parliament building. However, in a phone interview with Hina, the head of the State Protocol Department at the Croatian National Parliament, Marijan Grgic, said it was a usual procedure for all parties to announce their programme and working visits to the Parliament's Protocol Department. The IDS bench failed to do so, Grgic said. He expressed regret over the misunderstanding adding that the Protocol was not to blame for it. (hina) jn bag/rml 171503 MET jun 98