BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH

HR-POLICY-Politika BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 4840HINA Zagreb, December 21, 2002PREMIER'S RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT'S LETTER ABOUT NEW DEAL WITH IMFZAGREB, Dec 21 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Ivica Racan on Saturday sent an open letter to President Stjepan Mesic had who asked him to provide additional information about the reasons for the conclusion of a new stand-by arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In his letter Racan wrote that "the most important elements of Croatia's social and economic policy are not determined by the arrangement with the IMF but by the government's policy, budget and Croatian laws". The social and economic policy was discussed by the government and parliament before the conclusion of the deal with the IMF. That is why the arrangement with the IMF does not mean that Zagreb is assuming international obligations, but it means the confirmation of obligations the country has defined in its programmes and laws, Rac