Zagreb - The Act on the Protection of the Population Against Infectious Diseases was amended on Wednesday, with 77 MPs voting in favour and 27 against, while the members of the Bridge party walked out of the Parliament chamber.
The amended law provides for fines of up to HRK 50,000 for responsible persons not complying with the COVID-19 certificate mandate in public institutions.
During the vote, the majority turned down a conclusion proposed by the opposition that any laws and decisions restricting human rights and freedoms should be adopted by a two-thirds vote in the Sabor. The centre-left opposition parties said they would ask the Constitutional Court to test the constitutionality of the amended law.
Bridge MPs in conflict with other opposition lawmakers
The run-up to the vote was marked by incidents between members of the Bridge party and other opposition MPs.
The row came to a head when Social Democrat (SDP) leader Peđa Grbin accused the representatives of that conservative right-wing party of acting like parasites.
Grbin urged the Bridge MPs to call on people to get vaccinated against coronavirus, after which the SDP would in return support Bridge's referendum initiative against COVID certificates.
Marija Selak Raspudić said that such accusations were base, after which Bridge MPs Nino Raspudić, Miro Bulj, and Marin Miletić approached Grbin and circled him, but their conversation could not be heard.
Sandra Benčić of the We Can party said that Parliament was faced with two extremes: one being statements against vaccination made by the Bridge MPs, and the other being the fact that the ruling HDZ party refuses to implement Article 17 of the Constitution concerning emergencies.
During the heated debate, the Bridge MPs also argued with SDSS MP Milorad Pupovac who called them "apprentices of the death". Pupovac and some other MPs were reprimanded and denied the floor.