PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON DRAFT BUDGET CONTINUES

ZAGREB, Feb 27 (Hina) - Cuts in budgetary funds for the defence sector will not threaten national security or the country's bid to enter NATO, Kresimir Cosic of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said during a parliamentary discussion on this year's draft budget on Friday.#L# Cosic, a Deputy Defence Minister during the HDZ's rule in the 1990s, dismissed media reports and statements by some opposition MPs that reduced budgetary funds for the military would pull Croatia further from NATO. There is no danger of that as NATO does not need Croatia with state-of-the-art air force and missile systems. NATO expects of us to have mobile ground forces that can quickly join peace operations, Cosic said. Opposition deputies insisted that the projected growth rate would not set Croatia into motion and that the HDZ government was facing huge problems in its efforts to fulfil the promises given in election campaign. The opposition also criticised the government for not offering new projects and allocating insufficient funds for science and education. HDZ MPs defended the government's proposal reiterating that the budget was development-oriented, sustainable and implementable, and accused the previous government of transferring some financial obligations into this year. (Hina) ms sb