Committee backs expansion of dual office for minority member officials

Ljubljana, 14 January - The parliamentary Home Policy Committee endorsed on Tuesday a bill to change the Local Government Act expanding the right to hold dual office for members of Italian and Hungarian minorities who are municipal office holders. The bill will now be put to a vote at a plenary.

The bill was filed by the opposition Democratic Party (SDS). It builds on the law passed in October that allows the two MPs representing the Italian and Hungarian minorities in parliament to also serve on minority umbrella organisations.

If passed, the SDS-sponsored bill will allow mayors, deputy mayors and municipal councillors to simultaneously serve on their minority umbrella organisation's councils.

However, they will still not be allowed to take on offices of president or deputy president of that council, explained SDS MP Anton Šturbej.

On the other hand, municipal councillors who are elected specifically to represent the minority on the city council will be allowed to serve on any council post.

The National Assembly's legal service supports the bill saying it is a logical follow-up to the arrangement for minority MPs.

It says that the bill is consistent with the constitutional rights of members of the Italian and Hungarian ethnic communities.

The bill was also endorsed by Janja Sluga of the ruling Freedom Movement and by Italian minority MP Felice Žiža while Hungarian minority's Ferenc Horvath later withdrew his signature.

The municipality of Lendava, which is home to many Hungarian minority members, and the upper chamber of parliament's local government commission support the bill.

The Hungarian umbrella organisation meanwhile suggested that the same rule apply to city councillors who are minority members regardless of whether they were elected to the city council to represent the minority or not.

The bill was endorsed in a 13:1 vote, with the coalition Left voting against, just as it voted against in October, arguing that such decisions eventually lead to great concentration of power.

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