CROATIA'S CREDIT RATING FOR NOVEMBER UNCHANGED

ZAGREB, Nov 6 (Hina) - Croatia's credit rating for November remains unchanged at DB4d, according to the latest report of the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) agency which the Zagreb-based company for economic information BonLine released on Wednesday. #L# According to the report, Croatia's risk indicator is characterised by relations with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in connection with the serving of an indictment on General Janko Bobetko. At worst, failure to cooperate with the ICTY could result in UN sanctions against Croatia which, according to D&B analysts, could have damaging consequences regarding trade and the attraction of foreign investment. All this could delay Croatia's admission to NATO and the European Union. The situation is better on the economic front, with the real Gross Domestic Product annual growth rate of four percent. Data for the year's last quarter are still to be released. They should confirm the continued strong influence of private consumption on the total economic growth. The DB4d risk indicator, which Croatia has been given for several months, indicates moderate risk countries in which the risk on returns from investments is significant. The best credit rating among central and eastern European countries, DB2d, is still enjoyed by Hungary and Slovenia. The Czech Republic, Estonia, and Poland follow with DB3d. Yugoslavia is on the bottom of the D&B list, with a rating of DB6d, as are Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Belarus, Bosnia- Herzegovina, and Albania. (hina) ha sb