BUDGETARY EXPENSES FOR SALARIES LOWER, NOT HIGHE

ZAGREB, May 8 (Hina) - Budgetary expenditure for salaries in the first two months of 2002 have decreased by 4.1 percent when compared to the same period last year, the Finance Ministry reported on Wednesday in response to a newspaper headline on a 31.2 percent increase of the salaries of budgetary users. #L# The Finance Ministry explained that this year's budget also included salaries in the health sector, which was why it was difficult to compare data on the 2002 budget with last year's figures. This means that 3.3 billion kuna (around US$0.40 billion) was paid for salaries in January and February this year, which is 30 percent more than in the same period last year. However, this increase is the result of salaries for the health sector having been included in the budget. A comparison conducted by the Ministry indicates that the amount paid from the budget to cover the salaries of budgetary users in the first two months of 2002 has actually decreased by 4.1 percent. According to the Ministry's monthly statistical report, budgetary revenue in the first two months of this year totalled 9.97 billion kuna (US$1.21 billion), while expenses amounted to 10.64 billion kuna (US$98.52 million), making the deficit total 805.9 million kuna (US$99.61 million). (hina) sp sb