ANALYSTS: CHANGE OF AUTHORITY WON'T AFFECT CROATIAN ECONOMIC AIMS

CAVTAT, Oct 22 (Hina) - A possible change of authority after upcoming parliamentary elections in Croatia should not substantially influence the main goals of the Croatian economic policy, economists, who gathered at the third regional finance conference in Cavtat, said on Wednesday. #L# The new government, regardless of which political option it will represent, will place the goal of Croatia's admission into the European Union among its highest priorities, the chief economic analyst of the Privredna Bank Zagreb, Martina Dalic, said. As a result, the authorities will continue implementing the ongoing reforms in the judiciary and public administration as well as the process of restructuring of the economy, Dalic added. Her colleague from Erste & Steiermaerkische Bank, Ivan Fabijancic, does not expect any significant departures from the 'pan-European course' either. Fabijancic said that the political situation in the country was now more stable than in 2000, which was why any change of authority would not affect the confidence of investors or Croatia's credit rating. The chief economist of Bank Austria Creditanstalt, Marianne Kregar, believes that it will be easier for the new government, in the political sense, to address more demanding issues at the start of its term of office. Therefore, she proposes that the new government tackles the budgetary deficit as soon as it is appointed. The analysts agree that economic growth in Croatia will remain above four-percent rate this year, but forecast its fall below three percent in 2004. Expert forecasts and assessments were discussed during the second day of the two-day conference, organised by the British Euromoney magazine. The event pooled some 400 participants from the country and abroad. (hina) ms