ZAGREB, June 26 (Hina) - Croatian parliamentary party benches on Wednesday discussed a report on the execution of the government budget for 2001, and Deputy Finance Minister Damir Kustrak said the chief characteristic of the budgetary
year was the highest economic growth marked since 1997, with the lowest inflation since 1994.
ZAGREB, June 26 (Hina) - Croatian parliamentary party benches on
Wednesday discussed a report on the execution of the government
budget for 2001, and Deputy Finance Minister Damir Kustrak said the
chief characteristic of the budgetary year was the highest economic
growth marked since 1997, with the lowest inflation since 1994.
#L#
The Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) warned about the negative trend
in Croatian exports which were decreasing by the year. The HSP said
the economy was based on trade and imports with production on the
decline.
The Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) envisages that budgetary
spending would grow and be carried on to the autumn and winter
because of strikes which would culminate.
The party recalled that customs officers had managed to get higher
salaries, and expected that employees in the health and education
systems would try to fight for the same.
The IDS warned about the country's drastically growing external
debt.
The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) believes that budgetary
deficit would increase due to the introduction of the second pillar
of pension insurance. The party representatives stressed that, as
last year's budget was executed, it could be seen "how bad it is to
have the government budget depend on profits from privatisation".
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) said government subsidies gave no
results. It advocated a faster privatisation of public companies
because, they said, new jobs were being created in the private
sector.
It is encouraging for the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) that
the economy has been revived, that 18 of 23 industrial
manufacturing branches were registering growth, and that profits
from tourism rose. The HSLS warned that higher profits than really
possible were being envisaged every year.
They requested that the finance ministry submit materials about
Croatia's public debt, because, the HSLS said, a parliamentary
discussion should be held on the issue.
The execution of budgetary revenue and expenses last year was
stable, said the Croatian Peasants' Party (HSS), and added that it
expected a continuation of positive trends and a drop in inflation
in 2002.
(hina) lml