Empowerer

If I was running, this is what my theme would be

Theme: Restoring Trust by Renovating Government

1. Put the constitution in the hands of the people. The constitution does not define the rights of the people but it defines the limits of the government. Any future constitutional change therefore will not be made by the government but it will be made by a national referendum requiring majority support of citizens.

2. Promote more direct democracy and empower the citizens to be more active in the direction setting of the nation. Ideally I would like to see the people set the direction and the government to implement policy to get us into the direction set by the people.

3. To create a new culture of government with transparency and accountability - where people are treated as customers and receive good customer service. In the "First 100 Days" I will create a new nomination process for presidential advisors that is open to the public. More on First 100 Days:
http://www.domovod.info/entry.php?116

4. The diplomatic corps will take on a new responsibility to also act as trade missions. Follow the Canadian example. The embassies and consulates will work with the Croatian Chamber of Commerce to help facilitate trade.

5. Reconnect with the Croatians around the world. A Croatian is Croatian no matter where s/he lives or what language they speak. The Homeland needs them and they need the Homeland. I will rebuild the bridges so that we are reunited. My first step will be to develop a program of honorary consulates in every city with more than 1,000 Croats. My second step would be to create a Diaspora mentor program.


Optional: 6: I believe in privatization. It is not the role of government to run businesses. I believe that the best way to privatize companies is to have an IPO with stock sold on the Zagreb stock exchange. Croatians have the first option to purchase the shares and no one person or company can own more than 5%. To go along with this, I will promote the create of Croatian investment and pension funds which will promote the wellbeing of the Croatian people.

From the Croatian Constitution

The responsibilities of the The President of the Republic of Croatia

• The President of the Republic of Croatia is the head of state.
• The President of the Republic shall represent the Republic at home and abroad, be responsible for abiding by the Constitution, and ensure the continuance and unity of the Republic and the regular functioning of government.
• The President of the Republic shall be elected, on the basis of universal and equal suffrage at direct elections by secret ballot, for a term of five years.
• No one shall be President of the Republic more than twice.
• The President of the Republic shall be elected by a majority vote of all electors who voted. If none of the candidates has obtained such a majority, a new election shall be held after 14 days.
• The two candidates who at the first election obtained the largest number of votes shall have the right to stand at the new election. If one of the candidates who obtained the largest number of votes withdraws his candidature, the candidate who is next in the number of votes obtained shall acquire the right to be elected.
• Elections for the President of the Republic shall be held in no less than 30 and no more than 60 days before the expiry of his term.
• Before assuming duty, the President of the Republic shall take a solemn oath pledging loyalty to the Constitution.
• The election of the President of the Republic shall be regulated by law.
• The President of the Republic shall not, except for party-related duties, perform any other public or professional duty.
• In the event of the death of the President of the Republic, his resignation, or his being permanently prevented from performing his duties, the occurrence of which shall be established by the Constitutional Court of Croatia at the proposal of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the duty of the President of the Republic shall be temporarily assumed by the Chairman of the Croatian Parliament.
• The election of a new President of the Republic shall be carried out within 60 days from the date when the former President ceased to perform his duties.
  
• The President of the Republic shall:

• call elections for the Chambers of the Parliament and shall convene their first session;
• call referenda, in conformity with the Constitution;
• appoint and relieve of duty the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia;
• at the proposal of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia appoint and relieve of duty its deputy prime ministers and members;
• grant pardons;
• confer decorations and other awards specified by law;
• perform other duties specified by the Constitution.

• The President of the Republic shall, at the Government's proposal, decide on the establishment of diplomatic and other representative offices of the Republic of Croatia abroad.
• The President of the Republic shall appoint and recall diplomatic representatives of the Republic of Croatia, receive letters of credence and letters of recall from foreign diplomatic representatives.
• The President of the Republic is commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Republic of Croatia.
• The President of the Republic shall appoint members of the National Defense Council of the Republic of Croatia and preside over it, and shall appoint and relieve of duty military commanders, in conformity with law.
• On the basis of a decision by the Croatian Parliament, the President of the Republic may proclaim war and conclude peace.
• The President of the Republic shall pass decrees with the force of law and take emergency measures in the event of a state of war or an immediate danger to the independence and unity of the Republic, or when government bodies are prevented from regularly performing constitutional duties. During the time the President of the Republic is making use of such powers, the House of Representatives may not be dissolved.
• The President of the Republic shall submit decrees with the force of law for approval to the Chamber of Representatives as soon as the Parliament is in a position to meet.
• The President of the Republic may convene a session of the Government of the Republic of Croatia and place on its agenda items which he deems should be considered.
• The President of the Republic shall preside over sessions of the Government at which he is present.
• The President of the Republic may give to the Croatian Parliament information of, and shall once a year submit to it a report on, the state of the Republic.
• The President of the Republic may, at the proposal of the Government and with the counter-signature of the Prime Minister, after having consulted the Chairman of the House, dissolve the House of Representatives, if this House has passed a vote of no confidence to the Government, or if it has not approved the state budget within a month from the date when it was proposed.
• The President of the Republic may not again dissolve the House of Representatives before the expiration of one year from the date of its dissolution.
• The President of the Republic shall be impeachable for any violation of the Constitution he has committed in the performance of his duties.
• Proceedings for the impeachment of the President of the Republic may be instituted by the House of Representatives by a two-thirds majority vote of all representatives.
• The impeachability of the President of the Republic shall be decided upon the Constitutional Court of Croatia by a two-thirds majority vote of all justices.
• If the Constitutional Court of Croatia sustains the impeachment, the duty of the President of the Republic shall cease by force of the Constitution.
• In the performance of his powers the President of the Republic shall be assisted by a Presidential Council and other advisory and auxiliary bodies whose members shall be appointed and recalled by the President of the Republic.