NUMBER OF AREAS OF SPECIAL GOVT. CONCERN TO INCREASE - PARLIAMENT

ZAGREB, May 2 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament resumed its 12th session on Wednesday by debating a bill of amendments to the Law on Areas of Special Government Concern whereby said status would be given another 62 municipalities. The law currently lists two groups of areas affected by the 1990s war. Last July parliament bound the government to determine a third group which due to underdevelopment would fall under the special government concern category, Public Works, Reconstruction and Construction Minister Venko Curlin said outlining the bill. Based on economic underdevelopment, demography and other criteria, the government has moved extending special development-oriented incentives to another 62 municipalities, namely 26 border and 36 other municipalities. Another 18 border municipalities will be included in the bill before e second reading. It has also been moved not to further raise salaries in areas of special government concern due to lack of budgetary funds, Curlin said, but added all employees would continue enjoying tax relief as stipulated by the Income Tax Law. All parliamentary benches endorsed the bill. Most remarks referred to a provision eliminating the possibility of salary increases in state and public services in those areas. Most MPs believe this will have a discouraging effect and that experts in said services should have their salaries increased 20-50 percent. (hina) ha sb