ZAGREB, Sept 10 (Hina) - The proposed changes to the 2003 state budget have met with strong criticism by opposition clubs of deputies in the Croatian parliament, as well as by the ruling coalition's Libra party, which has claimed that
the government is not planning budgetary funds wisely.
ZAGREB, Sept 10 (Hina) - The proposed changes to the 2003 state
budget have met with strong criticism by opposition clubs of
deputies in the Croatian parliament, as well as by the ruling
coalition's Libra party, which has claimed that the government is
not planning budgetary funds wisely. #L#
Most clubs of deputies of the ruling coalition, as well as the
opposition's Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) claimed on
Wednesday that the proposed budget was logical since parliamentary
elections were due at the end of the year.
Damir Kajin of the IDS accused the former government, led by the
Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), of having jeopardised this and
next two budgets by unlawfully sacking Defence Ministry staff and
members of the Armed Forces.
He warned that courts were dealing with 11,296 lawsuits against the
Defence Ministry, of which 2,040 were labour disputes. The
plaintiffs claim 200 million kuna from the state, excluding
interest, and one can expect that some 1.5 billion kuna will have to
be set aside for that purpose from the next two budgets, Kajin
said.
Ivo Sanader of the HDZ responded that he still stood behind
decisions on sacking members of the Defence Ministry and the Armed
Forces who disobeyed mobilisation orders.
Sanader claimed that the budgetary revision was not only a
redistribution of funds, but that budgetary revenues were 360
million kuna lower, while expenses were 50 million kuna higher.
He opposed the allocation of 400 million kuna to the Ministry of
Agriculture to alleviate the consequences of this year's drought,
adding that the relevant law envisaged that such funds be allocated
directly from the state treasury.
Jadranko Mijalic of the Social Liberals said the only justified
measure was the proposed increase in funds for natural disasters
and elections.
However, he said that in adopting the budget the government should
have known how much funds would be needed for employment
programmes, state administration reforms, social welfare
programmes and pensions.
Vesna Skare Ozbolt of the Democratic Centre criticised the
government for incompetence in developing the economic policy.
She said that the state should invest more in development
programmes rather than make capital investments, which she claims
cannot be the basis of development of a state.
She believes that the proposed amount of 100 million kuna for
investment stimulation is too small.
The ruling coalition's Libra party also opposed the budgetary
revision. Its president Jozo Rados claimed that by increasing funds
for salaries the government would give up its policy of reducing
public spending.
(hina) rml