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Zagreb - The national civil protection authority has been given greater powers to facilitate the work of state institutions amid the coronavirus epidemic and amendments to that effect were voted in by the Parliament on Wednesday and they go into force on Thursday.
The amendments were voted in by a majority vote, with 108 deputies supporting the amendments, one voting against and six abstaining.
The national civil protection authority has been given the power to make decisions and issue recommendations to be implemented by local civil protection authorities.
The bill of amendments to the Civil Protection Act is aimed at ensuring uniform action by all civil protection authorities in adopting and implementing decisions that regulate citizens' and legal persons' everyday activities in the context of an epidemic, Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović, who was in Parliament today, said previously.
I wish you the best of luck and success in your work, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković told Božinović after the vote.
Complying with epidemiologists' recommendations, members of Parliament were sitting today at the prescribed distance of a minimum 1.5 metres from each other, in every other bench, at seats usually occupied by government members, at side seats and in all three galleries.
The situation in some of the neighbouring countries is really dramatic so we have to strictly follow the rules issued by the competent authorities, Jandroković told MPs, warning them against handshaking.
He stressed that deputies with health problems, who sneeze, cough or have a temperature, should not be in the Parliament.
Jandroković to MPs: Let's be responsible and solidary
Jandroković called on MPs to be "responsible, serious and solidary" and show by example that the state could and must work well.
Our key task is to adopt laws whereby we will ensure the implementation of measures proposed by the government concerning citizens' health and general safety as well as economic measures to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, he added.