PARLIAMENT ADOPTS AUDIT REPORT ON PRIVATISATION

ZAGREB, May 29 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament on Thursday adopted a report by the State Audit Office on the audit of transition and privatisation conducted to date. The parliament passed several conclusions that relate to future work in auditing. #L# The majority of MP's (56 for, 45 against and 1 abstinent) adopted a proposal by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) that the State Audit Office and other relevant government bodies be obliged to submit a list of names of the beneficiaries of so-called manager's loans, the names of banks and bank directors that approved these loans, the amounts of these loans and the origin of funds by which companies were acquired and paid for within 60 days. Following a proposal by party benches in the ruling coalition, the Sate Auditor is obliged to, within 30 days, report to the parliament and submit a list of names of people responsible in companies where irregularities have been ascertained in transition and privatisation and of the existing criminal charges. The Audit Office is also obliged in the same period to come up with criteria and the order of companies that have been audited, keeping in mind the size of companies prior to privatisation. The State Prosecutor is obliged, also within 30 days, to submit to the parliament a report on investigations initiated relating to criminal acts committed in the transition and privatisation process. The adopted conclusions oblige the government within 60 days to propose amendments to existing legislation that will enable punishment for crimes committed in the privatisation process and to set the conditions to enable the State Prosecutor's Office to function efficiently. The conclusion concerning amendments to existing legislation did not receive support from the HDZ bench which is opposed to retroactive applications of the law. The adoption of the proposed conclusions marked the end of the 22nd session of the Croatian parliament. It will reconvene again June 12. (hina) sp sb