The debt in 2004 rose by 3.4 billion euros, but in 2005 the rise should be about 1.5 billion euros.
Rohatinski informed reporters about measures which the HNB Council adopted in order to curb the rise of commercial banks' debt abroad.
The HNB Council decided to increase banks' compulsory reserves from 24 to 30 percent, which means that for every 100 euros which it takes in the form of a loan abroad, a bank should deposit 30 euros with the HNB without any interest rate and without any time terms.
The measure is applied retroactively on all loans which commercial banks have taken abroad since July 2004. This will result in the allocation of a total of 244 milllion euros into the central bank.
With the aim of ensuring higher funds for the financing of the state on the domestic market instead of seeking more loans abroad, the HNB Council also decided to cut the minimum rate for the coverage of banks' foreign liabilities with foreign claims from 35 to 32 percent.
This will make it possible for the HNB to funnel four billion kuna onto the market. After the Finance Ministry and banks have reached agreement on the matter, the Croatian government will not issue eurobonds worth 500 million euros, which it has planned to do in March. Instead the government will run into debt equal to this sum on the domestic market.
The central bank wrapped up the financial year 2004 with a small profit as against losses in 2002 and 2003.