The Parliament Will Convene According to the Annual Plan

The Croatian Parliament will convene according to an annual plan that will be defined by its Presidency, which is one of the innovations brought by the final version of the new parliamentary Rules of Procedure.

The annual plan aims to enhance the efficiency and quality of parliamentary work, and when the first such plan will be adopted and what it will specifically contain will be known soon. The proposal for the act that more closely regulates the constitution and work of the Parliament was prepared by the Committee for the Constitution and Rules of Procedure, and this week it is expected to undergo its final, second reading.

The final version of the Rules of Procedure brings further innovations, one of which concerns the establishment of a club of representatives. The club can be established by both political parties and independent representatives who together have three representatives – such a combination has not been foreseen until now.

The intention to discuss only the program of the new Government when presenting it, and not the candidates for members of the Government, has been abandoned, but the provision has been retained whereby the subsequent appointment of a member of the Government will be discussed only in the competent committee, not in the Parliament, which will only vote on confidence.

Starting this autumn, the Prime Minister will present to the Parliament an annual report of the Government on observed phenomena, problems, and the state of society, as well as on the activities of the Government.

According to the first version, this was supposed to be a report on the work of the Government and the state of the country, but its title was ultimately changed, probably under the influence of parliamentary debate.

However, it remains unchanged that only clubs will discuss the Prime Minister’s report, not individual representatives, and there will be no replies.

The new Rules of Procedure regulate the functioning of the Parliament in European affairs, considering that Croatia will join the EU on July 1. A Committee for European Affairs is being established, which will become the central body for conducting European affairs of the Parliament.

The Committee will adopt a Work Program for considering the positions of the Republic of Croatia, review reports from the Government on meetings of the EU Council, participate in the process of proposing Croatian candidates for EU bodies and institutions, etc. It will be the only committee that will have two vice-presidents – one from the ruling party and one from the opposition, while all other committees will have one.

In the Rules of Procedure, the reasons for issuing a warning with the withdrawal of the floor have been expanded between the two readings – this will also be done if a representative “calls for violence or hatred.” Previously, this penalty was prescribed for cases where a representative insults the Croatian people, religious, national, and other communities, gender, sexual, and other groups.

It is planned that the new Rules of Procedure will come into force on July 1. The current Rules of Procedure were adopted by the Parliament in 2000 and have been amended eight times since then.