ZAGREB, May 9 (Hina) - The Croatian government estimates economic growth will reach 3.5 percent this and four percent next year, according to a document adopted on Thursday, while the key elements of its economic and financial policy
are stepping up employment and increasing the standard of living.
ZAGREB, May 9 (Hina) - The Croatian government estimates economic
growth will reach 3.5 percent this and four percent next year,
according to a document adopted on Thursday, while the key elements
of its economic and financial policy are stepping up employment and
increasing the standard of living. #L#
Next year special attention will be paid to increasing support to
entrepreneurs, the infrastructure, faster investments, which
envisages reducing the budgetary deficit, increasing savings,
privatisation revenue and export competitiveness, stepping up the
reform of the judiciary, and improving the education system, said
Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac.
These objectives, stated in the document on the basic elements of
the government's economic and financial policy in 2002-3, resulted
in estimates of 3.5 and four percent economic growth rates and 4.3
and 3.5 percent inflation rates. The budgetary deficit is expected
to decrease, to 4.2 percent of Gross Domestic Product this and 2.5
percent next year.
Crkvenac said this meant the 2003 budget would have to rely on
saving and be restrictive as regarded state expenditure.
Success, he added, depends on agreement as to the implementation of
reforms, and support from employers and unions to the project he
called "Croatia on the Path of Ascendancy in the Next Period."
The participants in today's debate suggested a series of amendments
to the document. The debate focused on how to increase the growth
rate, with the consensus that it alone can resolve the unemployment
issue.
(hina) ha sb