MESIC COMMENDS PRIVATISATION OF TWO BELISCE COMPANIES

BELISCE, April 27 (Hina) - The Kombinat Belisce multi-plant firm and the Krupp Beli{}e Elastomertechnik company are examples that the privatisation process can end well, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said after visiting the two companies in Belisce on Friday. #L# Mesic lamented the fact that at the time of the biggest privatisation processes, the prevalent attitude was that Croatia needed a group of wealthy people who bought firms without having a clue about business and management, which resulted in bankruptcies. He commended the example of Kombinat Belisce, the biggest paper container manufacturer in Europe, which "consciously and responsibly looked for a strategic partner which recognised their value." He added that when a company like Krupp "enters business with you, it will bring other world known companies, which is of very valuable." Mesic recalled that Kombinat Belisce had turned to Slovenia and Macedonia, and would soon turn to Bosnia and Yugoslavia. "Economic development leads to the successful resolving of relations among people," he said. Mesic pointed to the importance of penetrating and cooperating with the Bosnian market. "There should be no fear about any (new) Yugoslavia, from which both Serbia and Montenegro are fleeing," he said, adding that those "who thought Bosnia would break up should know that it won't happen." Kombinat Belisce employs 1,800 people and exports 80 percent of its product, resulting in an annual turnover of EUR50 million. (hina) ha