GOVT. MEMBERS ON HOTEL PRIVATISATION, SISAK IRONWORKS

ZAGREB, March 7 (Hina) - At the beginning of Wednesday's lower house session, representatives put a series of questions to members of the government in connection with economic issues, including the Sisak ironworks and hotel privatisation. The Sisak ironworks represents one of the biggest economic issues without even one strategic investor interested in it, said Prime Minister Ivica Racan. His deputy Slavko Linic added the company's management was incapable of placing its product and the company would continue losing money unless better solutions were found. Dubravka Suica of the Croatian Democratic Union, the strongest opposition party, inquired about the government's concept of hotel privatisation. The tourism minister advocates postponing it for better times while Deputy Prime Minister Linic insist on a fast model. Prime Minister Racan reminded the government had adopted a proposal on the privatisation of the state portfolio. He said he did not want to replace government members because they differed in opinion. Suica also inquired if it was correct the Excelsior hotel in the southern Adriatic town of Dubrovnik was sold to Goran Strok for his financing of the pre-electoral campaign of the Social Democratic Party, the strongest in the ruling coalition. Racan dismissed allegations about irregularities in the privatisation of the hotel, stressing they were "insinuations and lies." (hina) ha sb