ZAGREB, May 17 (Hina) - A mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will come to Croatia late next week to conduct a two-week visit in keeping with its regular annual consultations, the Croatian government said on
Friday.
ZAGREB, May 17 (Hina) - A mission of the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) will come to Croatia late next week to conduct a two-week
visit in keeping with its regular annual consultations, the
Croatian government said on Friday. #L#
The IMF mission headed by Hans Flickenschield will speak with
Croatian government representatives, the central bank and other
institutions and will begin on May 23. The mission will remain in
Croatia until June 6.
It is expected that the IMF mission will speak to Croatian
government representatives about a new arrangement between Croatia
and that institution.
Unofficial government sources said that during the two week visit,
the mission was expected to define a platform for Croatia for the
new arrangement.
That platform would then, in keeping with the parliament's
conclusions, be discussed in parliament and could be presented to
the IMF executive committee by autumn, the government source said.
The starting point for the Croatian side in talks with the IMF are
contained in a document entitled the Fundamental Economic and
Financial Policies for 2002 and 2003. In the document, the
government estimates that the economic growth this year will amount
to 3.5 percent and next year 4 percent. It also foresees a low
inflation rate of 4.3 percent this year and 3.5 percent next year as
well as continuing to decrease the budget deficit this year by 4.2
percent of the GDP and next year 2.5 percent.
The key elements of its economic and financial policies, the
government believes is to decrease the unemployment rate, i.e. to
increase job opportunities and raise the standard of living.
(hina) sp sb