OPPOSITION MPS SAY THEY AREN'T ONES DECIDING ABOUT STATE BUDGET

ZAGREB, Dec 6 (hina) - Friday's parliamentary debate about the 2003 state budget is characterised by criticism levelled by the opposition at the government for its rejection of all of their amendments. The opposition MPs claim the budget has been drawn up on the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) dictate. #L# It is not MPs who are deciding about the state budget but the IMF, which has ordered the government to cut the budget by 203 million kuna and keep the budgetary deficit under five percent of the Gross Domestic Product, Ivan Suker said on behalf of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). "If Prime Minister Racan had told parliament this morning the budget was such at the dictate of the IMF, or Croatia would suffer damage on financial markets, the HDZ would have accepted it with full understanding," he said. Suker added, however, that not one state should agree to have 200 kuna from the budget dictated by someone abroad. The HDZ reproached the PM for not attending the debate and that only one minister was present. Krunoslav Gasparic said on behalf of the Croatian Bloc the budget was in the function of the next elections and not of development. Funds for the computerisation of secondary schools are cut by seven million kuna, scholarships for students are reduced, while the increase of funds for various intellectual services is unacceptable, he said. The Istrian Democratic Assembly's (IDS) Vladimir Drandic said his party was mostly angered by the fact that MPs had no influence on the budget. The IDS submitted 97 of over 450 amendments to the budget for next year. The IDS will not explain its amendments but will demand a vote on each "although, according to the government, Istria (County) doesn't need anything," said Drandic. Despite the discontent with the debate and announcements that they might walk out of the session, the opposition MPs secured the quorum necessary for the continuation of the session. (hina) ha sb