Parliament rejects president's conclusions, endorses those of majority

Zagreb - Parliament on Sunday rejected by majority vote two conclusions proposed by President Zoran Milanović on the ongoing strike in the judiciary and the gas affair, after debating them over the past two days, and endorsed the conclusions of the ruling majority.

With 77 votes against, MPs rejected Milanović's conclusion to oblige the government to immediately and no later than a fortnight take every measure necessary to ensure the regular functioning of the judicial branch of government.

Also rejected was the president's conclusion to oblige the government to establish within a fortnight which persons and institutions are responsible for the HEP power utility's losses due to the implementation of a regulation eliminating disruptions on the domestic energy market.

MPs endorsed the ruling majority's conclusions which say that it was unnecessary of the president to convene an extraordinary parliamentary session because the government is taking every measure necessary to ensure the regular functioning of the judiciary as well as every measure necessary to establish the circumstances regarding the implementation of said regulation.

The majority also concluded that the president fully sided with the parliamentary minority and that with his public statements, he devalued the work of MPs, parliament and the constitution.

Parliament rejected by majority vote also the conclusions proposed by the entire opposition to oblige the government to adopt a decision under which the salaries of civil servants will be paid for all days they spent striking, and to dismiss the management boards of HEP, the HERA and HROTE regulators and the state secretary for energy Ivo Milatić within three days.

The opposition's proposal that the strikers' be paid full salaries received 67 votes for and 74 against. The three MPs of the ruling coalition's Independent Democratic Serb Party (SDSS) did not vote on this item.

Also rejected was the Homeland Movement's conclusion asking the government to submit within a fortnight the minutes of a late March session of the crisis management team on measures to protect the security of gas supplies as well as a report on the reasons to raise the purchase price of gas from the INA company from €41 to €47 when gas prices in the EU were reduced.

Author: Hina