ZAGREB, Oct 21 (Hina) - The Lehman Brothers Eurasia Group (LEGSI) index for Croatia for October amounted to 56, and has remained on September's level.
ZAGREB, Oct 21 (Hina) - The Lehman Brothers Eurasia Group (LEGSI)
index for Croatia for October amounted to 56, and has remained on
September's level. #L#
According to the LEGSI monthly report, the index for October was
influenced the most by the extradition request of the Hague-based
war crimes tribunal for General Janko Bobetko, a discussion of the
Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Croatian Peasants' Party
(HSS) on the continuation of the privatisation process of the State
portfolio, and a delay in solving a border dispute with Slovenia in
Piran Bay.
The report, released by the Croatian Employers' Association, says
that the Bobetko case has ended the Croatia-international
community "honeymoon" and that the Croatian government is faced
with a difficult task of achieving a balance between European and
the Croatian public's expectations.
Also stated as an important factor for the October stability
evaluation is the radicalisation of part of the society helped by
the music-media actions of certain singers. Directly mentioned are
the concerts of pop singer Marko Perkovic Thompson.
The LEGSI analysis for October, which evaluates the political
stability of countries and their resistance to internal crises,
says that the SDP's liberal concept is visible in its intention to
accelerate the sale of INA and HEP, while the HSS believes the
process should be slower. Analysts say that the real reason for the
disagreement is HSS' frustration at its insufficient involvement
in the privatisation process.
Another negative assessment refers to the further increase in
Croatia's debt, which now exceeds US$13.2 billion. Positive
assessments, however, refer to the continuation of the growth in
Gross Domestic Product.
According to the LEGSI report for October, Croatia has dropped by
two places and is now 11th among 22 countries included in the
evaluation. The list is headed by Hungary, Poland, and Mexico,
while Columbia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia and Nigeria are at the
bottom.
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