ZAGREB, Feb 25 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament's House of Representatives after Friday's debate adopted a State Audit Office report for 1998 with a majority of vote. Also adopted was a conclusion to submit the report to the State
Prosecutor's Office, the State Attorney's Office, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Finance Police. The Lower House bound these institutions to evaluate whether there existed instances of illegal activity, and to react in such instances. The institutions were also bound to submit reports on taken measures to the Lower House by May 1. The Lower House bound the State Audit Office to audit the Croatian Privatisation Fund and capital investments, such as those for the building of the Maslenica Bridge, roads, and the Zagreb-based Centre for Secret Service Activity. Dino Debeljuh of the Istrian Democratic Assembly asserted the audit reports showed the finance and crime
ZAGREB, Feb 25 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament's House of
Representatives after Friday's debate adopted a State Audit Office
report for 1998 with a majority of vote.
Also adopted was a conclusion to submit the report to the State
Prosecutor's Office, the State Attorney's Office, the Ministry of
the Interior, and the Finance Police.
The Lower House bound these institutions to evaluate whether there
existed instances of illegal activity, and to react in such
instances. The institutions were also bound to submit reports on
taken measures to the Lower House by May 1.
The Lower House bound the State Audit Office to audit the Croatian
Privatisation Fund and capital investments, such as those for the
building of the Maslenica Bridge, roads, and the Zagreb-based
Centre for Secret Service Activity.
Dino Debeljuh of the Istrian Democratic Assembly asserted the audit
reports showed the finance and crime police, and the state
attorney, had not done their job, and that it was a case of organised
crime and state looting. Many responsible individuals were
implicated, yet only one minister has been imprisoned, he said,
adding money had indeed been stolen even from places where it was
claimed there was not enough of it, such as the pension fund.
Drago Krpina of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) asserted the
HDZ in the past ten years of rule had achieved historical and
national goals, but conceded there had been mistakes. One is the
fact that efficient institutions which would uncover and penalise
illegal activities were not established, he said, and endorsed the
present government's intention to do so.
"You have succeeded in establishing efficient institutions, but
they served the persecution of the members of other parties, and the
protection of the HDZ," retorted Debeljuh. Krpina said these were
insinuations and fabrications made without arguments.
Debeljuh mentioned Istria's so called "Y" highway project, saying
it was a damaging contract for Croatia, worth hundreds of German
marks, which someone had signed and damaged the state.
Krpina reiterated he endorsed the uncovering and penalisation of
criminal cases. "It is in HDZ's interest that such individuals be
punished, because the HDZ will thus be freed of the ballast," he
said.
At the end of today's debate, state auditor Sima Krasic said her
Office accepted all commendations and remarks, and that it would
endeavour to make future reports as expeditious and as good as
possible.
Krasic responded to objections that the report did not cover the
transactions of "RH Alan", a company which is part of the Defence
Ministry, by saying the State Audit Report was currently working on
a report for 1998 and 1999.
(hina) ha jn