LIBRA PARTY LEADER SLAMS NEW GOVERNMENT

ZAGREB, Jan 24(Hina) - The leader of the Libra party, Jozo Rados, said at a session of the party's council that the number of "gaffs, mistakes and undemocratic decisions" made by the new government in the first month of its term was the same or bigger than the number of mistakes made by the previous government in its entire four-year term.#L# Speaking about the mistakes, Rados mentioned the "Cacija case", Finance Minister Ivan Suker's statement that the state budget lacked 13 billion kuna, and Foreign Minister Miomir Zuzul's attempt to edit "some reports of one of our media companies because he does not like what the press says about him". Rados also mentioned several controversial appointments which were quickly followed by replacements, the postponement of the announced reduction of VAT, the decision to increase maternity allowances without seriously analysing the amount of funds needed to implement the decision, and the changing of the Law on War Veterans with a decree. Judging by its first decisions, the government "is insisting on superficiality, striking moves, demagogy, political replacements and revenge-seeking", Rados said adding that this would not be reason for concern if the government did not intend to continue with such conduct. Former Health Minister Andro Vlahusic accused Health Minister Andrija Hebrang of going public with false information on debts in the health sector and not accepting his invitation to a public confrontation. Vlahusic said that the Health Ministry had become "a ministry of intolerance and revenge which is being used as a testing ground for the great political ambitions of Andrija Hebrang, who already sees himself as the future president of the republic". Vlahusic said that he would submit to parliament on Wednesday a report with information on the actual situation in the health sector, which he said had been revised and accepted by the former government and parliament. (Hina) rml sb