Articles VI-IX of the

CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

VI. ORGANIZATION OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATION

Citizens shall be guaranteed the right to local self-government. The right to local self-government shall include the right to decide on needs and interests of local significance, particularly on regional development and town planning, organization of localities and housing, public utilities, child care, social welfare, culture, physical culture, sports and technical culture, and the protection and promotion of the environment. A law shall be passed on local self-government.

Units of local self-government shall, in conformity with law, be municipalities and districts or towns. Their areas shall be determined by law after the opinion of the inhabitants of the areas concerned has been heard. The organization and responsibilities of the bodies of local self-government units shall be regulated by their statutes in conformity with law. Citizens may directly participate in the management of local affairs, in conformity with law and the statute of local self-government units. Citizens shall also have the right to establish, in conformity with law, other forms of local self-government in localities and parts thereof.

Units of local self-government shall, in conformity with law and by-laws, be independent in the conduct of local affairs and shall only be subjected to the supervision of legality by competent bodies of the Republic. In municipalities and districts or towns, local self-government bodies may be established by law. The organization and responsibilities of such bodies shall be regulated by law. Specific affairs of state administration may be by law transferred to the responsibility of local self-government bodies. In conducting such affairs, bodies of local self-government units shall be subordinate, in conformity with law, to bodies of state administration.

Counties are units of local administration and self-government. Areas of counties shall be determined by law so as to express the historical, transport and economic factors, and to natural self-government units within the framework of the Republic. The organization and responsibilities of County bodies shall be determined by law. Large towns may by law be organized as counties.

VII. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. International Agreements

International agreements shall, on behalf of the Republic of Croatia, be concluded by the President of the Republic, but may also be concluded, in conformity with law, by the Government of the Republic of croatia.

International agreements which entail the passage or amendment of laws, international agreements of a military and political nature, and international agreements which financially commit the Republic shall be subject to ratification by the Croatian Parliament. International Agreements which grant international organizations or alliances powers derived from the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia, shall be subject to ratification by the Croatian Parliament by a two-thirds majority vote of all representatives.

International agreements concluded and ratified in accordance with the Constitution and made public shall be part of the Republic's internal legal order and shall in terms of legal effect be above law. Their provisions may be changed or repealed only under conditions and in the way specified in them, or in accordance with the general rules of international law.

2. Association and Secession

Procedure for the association of the Republic of Croatia in alliances with other states may be instituted by at least one third of the representatives in the Croatian Parliament, by the President of the Republic, or by the Government of the Republic of Croatia. Such association of the Republic shall first be decided upon by the Croatian Parliament by a two-thirds majority vote of all representatives. The decision concerning the Republic's association shall be made on the basis of a referendum by a majority vote of the total number of electors in the Republic. Such referendum shall be held within 30 days from the date the decision was rendered by the Croatian Parliament by a two-thirds majority vote of all representatives. The decision concerning the republic's association shall be made on the basis of a referendum by a majority vote of the total number of electors in the Republic. Such referendum shall be held within 30 days from the date the decision was rendered by the Croatian Parliament. The provisions of this Constitution concerning association shall also relate to conditions and procedure for disassociation (secession) of the republic of Croatia, except when owing to extraordinary circumstances the Croatian Parliament may, at the proposal of a third of the representatives, or of the President of the Republic, or the Government of the Republic of Croatia, for the purposes of protection of the Republic of Croatia, decide on disassociation (secession) by a two-thirds majority vote of all representatives present.

VIII. AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION

Amendment of the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia may be proposed by at least one fifth of the representatives in the House of representatives of the Croatian Parliament, the President of the Republic, and the Government of the Republic of Croatia.

The House of Representatives shall, upon hearing the opinion of the House of Counties, decide by a majority vote of all representatives whether or not to start proceedings for the amendment of the Constitution. A draft amendment of the Constitution shall require a majority vote of all representatives.

A decision to amend the Constitution shall, on the basis of a priori opinion of the House of Representatives by a two-thirds majority vote of all representatives.

Amendment of the Constitution shall be promulgated by the House of Representatives of the Croatian Parliament.

IX. TRANSITIONAL AND CONCLUDING PROVISIONS

The Republic of Croatia shall remain part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia until a new agreement is reached by the Yugoslav republics, or until the Croatian Parliament decides otherwise. If the territorial integrity of the Republic of Croatia is infringed by an act of or procedure by federal organ or an organ of other republics or provinces, members of the Federation, or if the Republic is brought into an unequal position in the federation, or its interests are endangered, the republic of Croatia's organs shall, on the basis of the right to self-determination and the sovereignty of the Republic of Croatia established by the Constitution, make the necessary decisions for the protection of the sovereignty and interests of the Republic of Croatia.

This Constitution shall apply as of the date of its promulgation by the Croatian Parliament, unless otherwise specified by the Constitutional Law for its implementation regarding the application of its individual provisions. Elections for the Croatian Parliament and the President of the Republic shall be called in accordance with the electoral laws, which shall be passed not later than one year after the promulgation of this Constitution.

A Constitutional Law shall be passed for the implementation of this Constitution.