CRO GOVT DENIES STATEMENTS PUBLISHED IN DAILY "VECERNJI LIST"

ZAGREB, Dec 4 (Hina) - The Croatian government media and public relations office on Thursday denied statements published in Croatia's daily "Vecernji List" reading that the government's internal representational funds for the current year were ten times higher than the year before. "The overall budget spending of the Croatian government this year is about 27 percent less than the year before, while the overall internal representational funds have remained at the same level in relation to the year before," the government said in a statement. According to the daily's Wednesday issue, 600,000 kuna have been earmarked for representational purposes, which is ten times more than the year before. Denying the statement, the Croatian government added its internal representational funds in last year's budget were included in item "Other expenditures - compensation for meritorious persons," amounting to 3,584,000 kuna, of which 500,000 kuna had been earmarked for internal representational purposes. Furthermore, the government stressed that this year's funds earmarked for the same purpose remained at the same level in relation to the year before. (hina) it