PARLIAMENT DEBATES INDUCEMENTS IN AGRICULTURE

ZAGREB, Jan 30 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament resumed its 19th session by debating a final bill of amendments to the law on financial inducements in agriculture and fishery whereby inducements would be reduced for a dozen agricultural products. The government has proposed slightly reducing inducements for sunflower and sugar beet and slightly increasing them for soy. The government has also added corn and oats to the list of products to receive lower state inducements. The government's proposals have elicited a heated debate, including a rift within the five-party ruling coalition. The bench of the Social Democrats vehemently criticised the reduction of inducements for oil crops and sugar beet, stating it would defuse interest for their production, and in the case of sugar beet, make room for the further import of cheaper and lower quality sugar. The Social Liberals do not endorse the changes either. The opposition benches were very critical as well. Their MPs warned the reduction was the result of the dictate of the World Trade Organisation and the International Monetary Fund. There are no protective mechanisms for domestic peasants and farmers, the MPs said. The only bench which endorsed the proposals was that of the ruling coalition's Croatian Peasants' Party. (hina) ha sb