LOWER HOUSE ADOPTS TUDJMAN'S PROPOSAL ON CHANGES TO CONSTITUTION

CONSTITUTION ( Editorial: --> 2746 ) ZAGREB, 21 Nov (Hina) - The House of Representatives on Friday adopted a proposal by the Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on initiating the procedure for changing the Constitution. The Committee for the Constitution and Political System will put forward a draft constitutional law on changes and amendments to the Constitution, on the basis of President Tudjman's draft constitutional law on changes and amendments to the Constitution. President Tudjman's proposal was supported by the majority of votes. There were 72 votes for, ten against and eight abstentions. There are three groups of changes to the Constitution. The first group refers to the erasing of regulations which were or had to be adopted, as Croatia was formally and legally part of the former Yugoslavia at the time the Croatian Constitution was adopted in 1990. The second group of changes refers to the more precise definition of certain constitutional and legal terms which, in their current form, could be interpreted differently. The third group refers to an important constitutional and legal amendment to the Constitution. It concerns the ban on Croatia entering any associations with other states, which may lead to the restoration of the Yugoslav state community, or some other form of Balkan state association. (hina) jn rm 211816 MET nov 97