PARLIAMENT'S SPEAKER SLAMS MORE EXPENSIVE TELEPHONING

ZAGREB, Aug 6 (Hina) - Some members of the government will have to resign if suspicions of a recent increase in the prices of telephoning prove to be part of the government's arrangement with Deutsche Telekom, according to the parliamentary speaker. "If that is some sort of concession and compensation aimed at enabling Deutsche Telekom to return its investment in the HT (Croatian Telecom), that compensation is impermissible and falls over the backs of consumers," Zlatko Tomcic was quoted by Vecernji List, the nation's largest circulation daily, on Monday. He said the stormy public reaction over 12-24 percent more expensive telephoning was more than justified. The government has to reconsider its decision on higher prices as well as the whole arrangement with Deutsche Telekom, he added. As for announcements of taxation of monthly pensions lower than 2,500 kuna (approx. $300), Tomcic emphasised they were unofficial announcements. "There is a need to save in the state budget... put pensions and taxation thereof are certainly not the proper way of saving. Pensions should be the last items we cut," he said. According to the parliamentary speaker, pensions and basic existential issues should be treated much more delicately. He hopes announcements of a reduction of social benefits are just thoughts that will not come into fruition. "The government has to produce a balanced proposal based on fairness, so that we may adapt to the demands of the IMF (International Monetary Fund) in connection with public spending but without the injustices that have been too prominent until now," Tomcic was quoted in Vecernji List. (hina) ha