THE ROLE OF THE PUBLIC AND ITS REGULATION IN THE CROATIAN PARLIAMENTARY LAW 1947-1953

Abstract

This paper examines the role of the public and its regulation in the Croatian parliamentary law within the formative period of establishing state institutions and law from 1947 to 1953. In trying to determine what is meant by the term public, the author uses etymological and historical approach, exposes the main theoretical concepts and takes a brief look at the socio-political context in the period under review. After that, the author gives a normative analysis of the relevant provisions of the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of the People’s Republic of Croatia dating from 1947 and 1951, outlines the provisions of the following Rules of Procedures to give an overview of the gradual forming of regulation of the public to the present day. Finally, in giving his concluding observations the author confirms his hypothesis that the public in the reviewed period of the Croatian parliamentary law did not have any significant role; it was reduced only to the meaning of audience, without any possibility of direct influence on the decisions in legislative or norm-making process, while the outcome of the use of available procedural instruments (opinions, requests, complaints and petitions) was entirely dependent on the will of the competent committee or parliament.