ZAGREB, Feb 24 (Hina) - The parliamentary committee on state finance and budget on Tuesday supported the government-sponsored draft state budget for 2004 with a majority vote. Seven MPs of the Croatian Democratic Union voted for the
draft budget, two MPs of the Social Democratic Party were against while a Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) MP abstained from voting.
ZAGREB, Feb 24 (Hina) - The parliamentary committee on state finance
and budget on Tuesday supported the government-sponsored draft state
budget for 2004 with a majority vote. Seven MPs of the Croatian
Democratic Union voted for the draft budget, two MPs of the Social
Democratic Party were against while a Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) MP
abstained from voting.#L#
A debate on the draft budget, which should be discussed in parliament
on Friday, was marked with the exchange of accusations between the
former and incumbent finance ministers, Mato Crkvenac and Ivan Suker
respectively.
Suker accused Crkvenac and the former coalition government of
overburdening the budget with some 6.5 billion kuna by transferring
obligations into this year, thus leaving the HDZ-led government less
manoeuvring space. Crkvenac said those accusations were only an alibi
for failing to fulfil the election promises.
Suker said nothing would stop the HDZ-led government from keeping
those promises, despite the unexpected obligations.
(Hina) it sb