GOVERNMENT GRANTS FUNDS FOR NATIONAL MINORITIES, NGOS

ZAGREB, May 11 (Hina) - Croatia's farmers and fishermen may use a new, blue eurodiesel fuel as of July 1 at the same price as oil fuel, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bozidar Pankretic told government's Thursday session, pointing out this would strengthen the competitiveness of Croatia's agricultural product. The government today forwarded into urgent parliamentary procedure a bill of amendments to the law on special duties on oil products, and distributed budgetary funds for the financing of programmes of national minorities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). This year's budget earmarked 19.7 million kuna (US$2.3 million) for minorities, primarily intended for the financing of information, publishing, cultural amateurism, and pro-tolerance programmes. A total of 706 NGOs with 1,158 programmes competed for 20.2 million kuna (US$2.35 million) of budgetary funds, but only 346 programmes by 232 NGOs will be granted financial support. At Deputy Premier Goran Granic's incentive, who said he "cannot raise his hand for the creation of any personality cult," the government decided the "Josip Broz Tito" society and its programme envisaging the nurturing of respect towards the former Yugoslav federation president would not be granted a planned 20,000 kuna (US$2,320). The government today adopted a declaration on Croatia's cooperation with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which is a political statement on willingness to cooperate. Deputy Economy Minister Neven Mimica said further negotiations on a free trade agreement with the EFTA would be held simultaneously as negotiations on associate membership in the European Union. The government endorsed a decision on initiating proceedings for the signing of a free trade agreement between Croatia and Hungary. A bill on the ecological production of agricultural and food products was forwarded into parliamentary procedure. (hina) ha mm