RACAN: GOVT BODIES WILL DISCUSS ISTRIA BANK SITUATION

ZAGREB, March 27 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan on Monday said the Government will discuss the situation in the Istria Bank as much as it is authorised to do it and it will in no way discuss the management of the banking system. "The Government will be able to very precisely state what is and what is not within its jurisdiction. We do not intend to behave the way the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) used to," Racan told reporters. The prime minister said the government would make efforts so that the crisis was solved in the way which would be good for the future political and economic life in Croatia, as well as for people in Istria. Government bodies will in the next several days discuss the situation in the Istria Bank and it is to be seen whether the problem will come before the government, he added. Racan confirmed the coordination of six coalition parties would meet today, but he could not say when exactly. The meeting of the coalition partners was called yesterday at a session of the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) Presidency by Ivan Jakovcic, who believes "the blockade of the Istria Bank is sudden and groundless." The party leadership requested that it be clarified why the Croatian National Bank (HNB) last Wednesday appointed a temporary administrator for the Istria Bank, which froze the payment of savings deposits two days later, on Friday. The IDS requested that the Government and the HNB immediately unfreeze the bank's account and that the payment of savings deposits resume. (hina) mm rml