STATE AWARDS 600,000 KUNA TO JANICA KOSTELIC

ZAGREB, Feb 28 (Hina) - The state will award 600,000 kuna to Janica Kostelic, Croatia's four-times medal winner at the Winter Olympic games in Salt Lake City, and the Croatian Skiing Association 300,000 kuna. For each golden medal, of which she won three, she will be given 160,000 kuna, and for her one silver medal 120,000 kuna, the government decided at Thursday's session. Janica and the Skiing Association will thus receive a total of 900,000 kuna net, with the government paying 371,000 kuna in taxes. This is a payment from the budget which came easiest to me, Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac said. We are insufficiently aware of Janica's success, he said. Janica's message "I look forward, work hard and have a goal, the past does not interest me," is also the Croatian government's motto, Crkvenac said. The success of Croatian skiers in Salt Lake City spurred Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic to suggest to the Education and Sports Ministry and the Croatian Olympic Committee to draw up a systematic plan of financing Croatia at summer and winter Olympic Games in Athens and Torino. Fizulic believes that one of the government's subjects should be the approach towards individual sport and stimulating the same. (hina) lml