CONSUMER ASSOCIATIONS: GOVT ADOPTING REGULATIONS CONTRARY TO ITS OWN PROGRAMME

ZAGREB, Aug 21 (Hina) - Two Croatian associations for the protection of consumers believe the parliament has been adopting, at the government's proposal, changes to legal regulations which are contrary to the government's programme of February 2000. The Croatian Association for Consumer Protection and Croatian Association for Initiatives in Democracy say in a statement issued on Tuesday the government's programme of 2000 reads that Croatia's entering European and international associations will contribute to the development of free trade and competition and discourage monopoly. However, in April this year the parliament adopted at the government's proposal changes to the Constitution, which change a regulation banning monopoly to a ban on "the abuse of monopoly." By changing the Law on Telecommunications, the parliament has 'de facto' prolonged the monopoly of the Croatian Telecom (HT) for two years, the associations say. Under the government's programme, capital investments obtained through privatisation should be invested in development programmes and not be used for public spending. However, while changing the Law on the Privatisation of HT in July, the parliament excluded this regulation so that funds from the sale of HT could be used for patching up holes in the budget, the associations say. The government's programme of 2000 announced an end to tax payers' debts, but changes to the Tax Law of March last year have reduced the relative tax expiry from five to three years, and the absolute expiry from 10 to five years, say the two associations, adding this means the writing off of millions of kuna of tax payers' debts. The associations believe that these and many other failures in the government's work directly affect citizens-consumers and therefore seek answers from competent officials. (hina) rml