ZAGREB, March 15 (Hina) - During a discussion in the Croatian National Sabor's House of Representatives on a Government's motion on the budget for 2000, mostly representatives of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) parliamentary bench
criticised the Government adding that it neglected the overall development, road construction and that it was saving on education. HDZ representatives said that the Government failed to fulfil their pre-electoral promises, particularly the promise that salaries of state budget user would not be decreased. They criticised the fact that the legal adjustment of pensions would not take place this year either. Representatives of the parliamentary majority defended their Government, congratulating it on the realistic budget "considering the situation found after the rule of the HDZ". Jadranka Kosor of the HDZ stressed that numbers included in the budget would not be sufficient for the ret
ZAGREB, March 15 (Hina) - During a discussion in the Croatian
National Sabor's House of Representatives on a Government's motion
on the budget for 2000, mostly representatives of the Croatian
Democratic Union (HDZ) parliamentary bench criticised the
Government adding that it neglected the overall development, road
construction and that it was saving on education.
HDZ representatives said that the Government failed to fulfil their
pre-electoral promises, particularly the promise that salaries of
state budget user would not be decreased. They criticised the fact
that the legal adjustment of pensions would not take place this year
either.
Representatives of the parliamentary majority defended their
Government, congratulating it on the realistic budget "considering
the situation found after the rule of the HDZ".
Jadranka Kosor of the HDZ stressed that numbers included in the
budget would not be sufficient for the return of refugees. A former
HDZ member and now an independent representative, Mate Granic, said
he would support the budget with several amendments. In his
opinion, the budget has no vision, Croatia's foreign policy
orientation is not recognisable and it does not support the
development of entrepreneurship, new technology and science.
"This is the budget of rational surviving", Granic said, adding
however, that the budget significantly solves the issue of the
overall state debt, and implements financial discipline.
Snjezana Biga-Friganovic of the Croatian Social Democratic Party
(SDP) overruled objections that the budget was non-transparent.
"This is the first transparent budget that I've seen in the eight
years of my mandate in the House of Representatives", she said.
She pointed to the fact that the decrease of salaries of budget
users on average amounts to 30 kuna, namely US$3.75.
Marin Jurjevic of the SDP described the Government as a "brave" one.
He believes that the Prime Minister and his Deputy did not stress
loud enough to the public what kind of a situation they found after
the take-over of the authority.
Anto Kovacevic of the Croatian Christian Democratic Union (HKDU)
described the budget as "a cosmetically improved budget from
1999".
Ivo Skrabalo of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS)
congratulated the Government on the budget and said that the
situation found after the take-over of the authority should be more
visible.
Djuro Njavro of the HDZ said that the budget radically decreased the
financial basis for local governments and self-governments, which
is contradictory to the pre-electoral promises on the
decentralisation model of the state.
Josko Kontic of the HSLS believes that the Government has no other
choice but to stand behind this restrictive budget. If we fail to
pass this budget, the Government will collapse, and we will be
facing deep political crisis, he concluded.
Only about 30 of 120 representatives registered for the discussion
participated in today's discussion on the budget. The discussion
will continue tomorrow and will most probably last the entire day.
(hina) it jn