MPs to sit in every other bench, galleries

Zagreb - In order to prevent the spreading of the novel coronavirus, the Croatian Parliament will organise its plenary sessions in line with the national civil protection authority's recommendations on minimum personal distance. 

New seating arrangement has been defined for Wednesday, when the Parliament will reconvene.

To make sure that there is room in the Parliament chamber for each of the 151 members of Parliament and that they sit at the prescribed distance from one another, they will sit in every other bench, at seats that are usually occupied by Government members and at side seats and seats in all three galleries.

MPs will be given a precise seating order on Tuesday afternoon.

On Wednesday the Parliament will vote on a proposal to add to the session's agenda Government-sponsored set of bills on assistance to the economic sector and amendments to the Civil Protection Act.

Since all deputies will not be physically able to vote electronically due to the new seating order, electronic voting will be combined with voting by a show of hands.

The Parliament has already given instructions to media outlets regarding reporters' presence in the parliament building and internal protocols are being made to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus.