BUSINESS NEWS BULLETIN NO 315

HR-GOSPODARSTVO-BILTENI-Makrogospodarstvo BUSINESS NEWS BULLETIN NO 315 BUSINESS NEWS BULLETINNo 31510th- 16th February 2003CONTENTS:RETAIL PRICES IN CROATIA IN 2002 INCREASEDRETAIL PRICES AND LIVING COSTS IN JANUARY RISE BY 0.4 PERCENTCROATIA'S EXPORTS IN 2002 INCREASED BY 5%, EXPORTS BY 17.1%CROATIA'S FOREIGN TRADE DEFICIT TOTALS 5.8 BILLION DOLLARSHNB CURBS EXCESSIVE GRANTING OF LOANSGOVT ADOPTS DECISION ON SUBMITTING APPLICATION FOR EU MEMBERSHIPLINIC: INTEREST IN GOVT. BONDS FOUR TIMES HIGHER THAN ISSUE'S VALUEGOVT: MECHEL MUST FULFIL GOVERNMENT REQUESTS BY END OF MONTHGOVT TO ENSURE WAGES UNTIL STRATEGIC PARTNER ENTERS IRONWORKSMOST PARTY BENCHES URGE CONSENSUS ON CHANGES TO LABOUR ACTDISMISSAL OF HFP MANAGEMENT BOARD PARALYSES PRIVATISATIONTHERE IS NO 'MAD COW' DISEASE IN CROATIA - MINISTRYELECTRICAL FURNACE IN SISAK IRONWORKS HEATED UPCONTRACT ON SET-UP OF FREE ZONE SIGNED IN VUKOVARBOSNIAN COMPANY GETS LICENSE TO PRODUCE PODRAVKA'S PRODUCTSDTR TO EXPAND IN THE REGION