TOURISM MINISTER: CROATIAN TOURISM IS "IN A COMA"

ZAGREB, Feb 10 (Hina) - "(Croatia's) tourism is, to use a medical term, in a state of coma and it needs to recover as soon as possible," Tourism Minister Pave Zupan Ruskovic told reporters on Thursday when asked to comment on the government's tourism policy. It is difficult to predict how much time will be needed to achieve this goal because the financial situation in the country is much worse than was expected and a financial injection is needed, she said. This season should be much better than last year given a 20-40 percent increase in bookings, however, on condition that the situation in Montenegro does not deteriorate. Zupan Ruskovic could not say anything about the concrete measures for the recovery of tourism. She said there were two sets of measures to be taken, including priority and alternative solutions. However, both sets of measures depend on the financial situation in the country, she said. Speaking about privatisation in tourism, Zupan Ruskovic said the former government and the Croatian Privatisation Fund had made huge mistakes and part of the current problems was the result of those mistakes. It is important to continue the process of privatisation but in a correct and fair manner, she added. (hina) rml