Z-4 PLAN UNACCEPTABLE FOR CROATIA, PRESIDENT'S ADVISOR SAYS

ZAGREB, Feb 3 (Hina) - President Tudjman's special legal advisor, Professor Smiljko Sokol, today said the "Zagreb-four plan, namely its structure, basic provisions, title and preamble" were "unacceptable for Croatia". "To accept this plan would be contrary to the basic provisions of the Croatian Constitution, namely Articles 1 and 2, which define Croatia as a unitary and indivisible state," Sokol told a news conference at the Zagreb University Press Centre. "The establishment of a Serbian federal unit, which would effectively have a 'quasi-federal structure' would turn Croatia into a two-nation federation, changing the status of the Serbian minority into that of constituent nation," Sokol said. Such a status would implicitly recognise their right to self- determination, leading to a step-by-step realisation of greater- Serbian aspirations. Certain provisions of the Z-4 plan were even defined as prevalent over the Croatian Constitution, because they call for changes in the Constitution and the Constitutional Law. Moreover, the plan stipulated that no changes would be possible in future without the agreement of the Krajina authorities and Serb MPs in the Croatian Parliament. "The plan absolutely limits Croatia's sovereignty - according to the theory of constitutional law, it is a confederal compact," Sokol said. He explained that typical federal states were characterised by the two-fold division of powers and the federal units' right to self-organisation. "There won't be any federalisation of Croatia or a 'state within the state'," Sokol asserted. "The form of reintegration of the temporarily occupied areas will be decided by the Croatian people," he said. Croatia had its own plan for a peaceful reintegration, based on the Croatian Constitution, the Constitutional Law on the rights of ethnic minorities and communities, and President Tudjman's November 1993 Peace Initiative. Croatia's plan would be further elaborated by the Croatian Government, Sokol said, adding that "nothing else was acceptable" and that this plan "was the bottom line". Emphasising that he was presenting his personal opinion, Sokol said the plan "should neither be taken lightly or overestimated". "It is just a test case to see how far Croatia is prepared to go," Sokol concluded. (hina) mm as sd 031823 MET feb 95