ZAGREB, May 15 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan said in parliament on Wednesday the government was considering additional measures to boost export, which dropped by 3.5 percent in the first three months of this year.
ZAGREB, May 15 (Hina) - Prime Minister Ivica Racan said in
parliament on Wednesday the government was considering additional
measures to boost export, which dropped by 3.5 percent in the first
three months of this year. #L#
Croatia needs a product which will be stimulated, and that is where
the grim economic situation becomes obvious, Racan said during
question time in parliament.
Presenting data by the State Institute for Statistics, according to
which Croatia's export in the first quarter dropped by 3.5 percent
and now covers only 49 percent of imports, which rose by seven
percent, Croatian Democratic Union's (HDZ) Jadranka Kosor asked
the prime minister what the government intended to do since the
decreased export increased unemployment.
The government is analysing these movements and will try to
stimulate export with a better organisation structure, Racan said,
calling on the social partners - the employers, government and the
unions - to give concrete proposals for boosting export.
"We are aware that the fight for export is very important and we hope
that it won't be lost due to the poor results at the beginning of the
year. We will make some reform moves, but I must say that there is
some opposition to that, so the debate about the issue will not be
easy," Racan said.
HDZ's Dario Vukic inquired about future growth rates, claiming that
the government was irresponsible because it had announced a seven
percent growth rate, but was now lowering it to 3.5 percent.
The government, Racan said, was preparing a debate on measures
which should help increase the average growth rate in the next 15
years to approximately five percent, Racan said answering Vukic's
question. He added that he could accept a debate on objections to
the government's work, but noted that the ravaged economy was HDZ's
legacy.
Marija Bajt (HDZ) asked if following Racan's apology to the victims
of the Bleiburg and Way of the Cross tragedies the State Prosecutor
would call to account the perpetrators of WWII war crimes at
Bleiburg, considering the lawsuit the association "Hrvatski
domobran" (Croatian Home Guard) had filed with the Prosecutor's
Office in September 2000.
Justice Minister Ingrid Anticevic Marinovic said that announced
changes to the Law on Criminal Procedure would regulate relations
between police and the State Prosecution, thus making the State
Prosecution more efficient in war crimes proceedings.
(hina) rml