CROATIAN MPS AGAINST BAN ON PRIZE GAMES IN MEDIA

ZAGREB, June 26 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament on Wednesday morning discussed a final bill on prize games and games of chance which prohibits the media from organising such games. Most parliamentary benches, however, opposed this ban. #L# The Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) believes the press and the electronic media should be allowed to prepare prize games but also pay a five-percent tax on it. The games should be under strict control and should not contain elements of games of chance, the HSS bench said. The Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) said prize games could be found in the press all over the world, and advocated that the finance ministry define conditions for this activity in the Croatian media. The Democratic Centre asked for an analysis of the Croatian Lottery (HL), as this company had monopoly over games of chances. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) opposed the revocation of tax paid on winnings from games. The SDP bench proposed that a 10- percent tax should be paid on every gain above 20,000 kuna (2740 euros). The profit of the Croatian Lottery should remain untaxable, and 20 percent of the profit should be left to the company to cover its advertising, the SDP said. The SDP advocated that the government rather than the finance ministry issue concessions for betting shops and gambling machines. (hina) ms