GOVT REQUESTS EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY TO DECREE ECONOMY POLICY

( Editorial: --> 2489 ) ZAGREB, Sept 23 (Hina) - The Croatian Parliament House of Representatives on Wednesday discussed a motion by which the government's authority to issue decrees on certain issues within the jurisdiction of the Lower House would be extended for another year. The government's Legislation Office head, Marijan Prus, and Smiljko Sokol speaking on behalf of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), explained that the government's authority on this issue has been exceptionally decreased. However, opposition representatives opposed the motion. Prus and Sokol stressed that the government can only issue decrees concerning current economy policy issues, not pertaining to issues of the budget and tax policy. The Croatian government's authority is the narrowest and most restricted in Europe, they said. The government often goes beyond legal frames with issued decrees, and as the Parliament holds sessions on a continuous basis, the government must plan bills and submit them on time, instead of issuing decrees, explained Srecko Bijelic of the Croatian People's Party and Istrian Democratic Forum Club (HNS - IDF), Bozo Kovacevic of the Liberation Party (LS), and Dragica Zgrebec of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). The MPs also discussed a bill by which a sentence of up to six months in prison would be substituted by six months of community service. This would make punishment more efficient, the punishment is more favourable for the convict, and is cheaper for society than prison terms. The legal text which would regulate this must be adopted along with the law on the serving of sentences, MPs stressed. (hina) lml jn 231705 MET sep 98