HOUSE OF COUNTIES SESSION TO BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 22 AND 23

( Editorial: --> 0634 ) ZAGREB, Sept 15 (Hina) - The autumn session of the Croatian National Parliament will begin on September 22 with the 19th session of the House of Counties, the upper house. The agenda includes 27 items. The House of Representatives is expected to commence its first autumn sitting on September 23. The House of Counties should debate the final bill on public assembly, as well as changes and additions to the Law on the State Judicial Council. Among the nine drafts to be discussed by MPs in the first reading, is the Bill on Compulsory and Voluntary Pension Funds. The draft envisages further legal regulation of the pension reforms, which had started with the passing of the Law on Pension Insurance. Also expected in the first reading is a debate on the long-awaited new Law on Banks, which should increase the central bank's supervision and control over commercial banks. The House of Counties is also expected to debate several reports - on the status of fire affected areas, the half-yearly report on the implementation of the state budget, and the implementation of the Law on the Rights of Croatian Defenders. MPs should also discuss the situation in the judiciary, as well as the situation in agriculture. However, the House of Counties has still not received the Opposition's bill for amendments to the election law, which opposition party leaders had announced for the first autumn session. (Hina) mbr jn /mro 152104 MET sep 98