MPS SUPPORT BILL ON CONSUMER PROTECTION

ZAGREB, May 15 (Hina) - With much criticism and more than 60 submitted amendments, Croatian parliamentary benches on Thursday supported the final text of a government-sponsored bill on consumer protection on which MPs should vote tomorrow morning. #L# Party benches mostly criticised Croatian Telecom's (HT) monopoly over the telecommunications network and telephone subscription, which most party benches want to be more commercial, allowing people to choose among several telephone networks. Most benches believe that mobile telephony should be included in public services, alongside fixed telephony. MPs said that around 1.7 million people were using telecommunications services in the national fixed network, while the number of mobile network users was more than 2.2 million and growing. An amendment was moved according to which postal services would be included in public services, as well as an amendment under which citizens would have a choice among tariff models for fixed telephony. The Croatian People's Party/Primorje-Gorski Kotar Party/Slavonia-Baranja Croatian Party bench suggests a better regulation of the complaints procedure, i.e. refunds. The bench advocates the establishment of a body which would independently supervise the determination of prices, the quality of goods and services, and the attitude of monopoly-holders towards consumers. (hina) lml sb