Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Josip Leko said on Wednesday, at the end of the parliament's spring-summer sitting, that the parliament had fulfilled its constitutional duties.
- In accordance with constitutional provisions, this parliament has done its duty, it has passed laws in line with priorities and plans set by the government and the ruling majority. It has fulfilled its duty of monitoring the executive authorities and its new duty of supervising the government's work within the framework of European Union institutions, Leko told a press conference.
Leko said that he was convinced that in the second year of the country's membership of the EU, its parliament had "caught up in step with the parliaments of other member states." Reflecting on comments that according to a survey, Croatian citizens trust their parliament less than citizens of other European countries, Leko said that the perception of citizens depends on whether they live better. - In that regard, we haven't achieved the desired level and there is a number of reasons why that is so, he said. He added that the perception citizens have of parliament "is also impacted by MPs, who behave as they do, by media agencies, which use this for their own ends, and by political parties."
Leko said he would continue to insist on the adoption of a code of ethics for parliamentarians and was hopeful that a draft of that document would be completed by September. - I think parliamentarians should define standards for public statements and I hope that all parliamentary benches will participate in that. Whether they will and to what extent is up to them, I cannot influence that, said Leko.
Responding to claims by the Opposition that the parliament is not sufficiently independent and that it relies too much on the government, Leko said that the Opposition's dissatisfaction was legitimate but that he would prefer more concrete proposals from the Opposition. He also dismissed claims that many of the Opposition's proposals are not discussed. (Hina)