ZAGREB, May 15 (Hina) - The Croatian government will direct its efforts to economic and development activities in the coming period. The goals are to give incentives to investments, help create more jobs, introduce measures for the
stimulation of export and investments, make changes in the tax policy, Prime Minister Ivica Racan said during Monday's multimedia promotion of a government project on its first hundred days since inauguration.
ZAGREB, May 15 (Hina) - The Croatian government will direct its
efforts to economic and development activities in the coming
period.
The goals are to give incentives to investments, help create more
jobs, introduce measures for the stimulation of export and
investments, make changes in the tax policy, Prime Minister Ivica
Racan said during Monday's multimedia promotion of a government
project on its first hundred days since inauguration.#L#
Racan confirmed the government was considering steps to cut Value
Added Tax (VAT) from 22 to 19 percent. "Yes, we are thinking about
it, and the definite answer is possible at government's coming
session on Thursday," the premier added.
According to Racan, the government's future tasks comprise
resolving the situation in state-owned companies, reforms of some
economic sectors, a new concept for state administration, reforms
of the national security system, defence and internal affairs, the
definition of pension reforms' time terms, and the de-
politicisation of the entire society.
The premier pointed to refugee returns as a special task and
announced the government would place particular accent on certain
areas, such as the war-stricken eastern-most town of Vukovar.
Statehood Day, May 30, will be marked in a working manner Vukovar,
and on that occasion all measures aimed at the recovery of the area
will be presented.
Within today's presentation of "One Hundred Days", a short film was
shown about the government's first activities. The film, made by
the Premisa agency, is about the situation the Racan Government
inherited from the previous one, what the new authorities have done
in the first 100 days since taking office, and what plan on doing in
the future.
The project was also presented in a separate booklet and CD-Rom "The
Government's One Hundred Days". In attendance were numerous
reporters, Premier Racan's closest associates, and all ministers.
Among the greatest achievements the government has made in its
first 100 days are the democratisation of society, the
consolidation of the economy, and the commitment to return all past
governments' debts by year's end, as well as the recognition of
tourism and agriculture as state potentials, and getting closer to
integration with European and Trans-Atlantic institutions.
The achievements were also presented as part of a video projection
broken down into five segments - economy, national security, media,
society, and foreign affairs.
By year's end, the government has to prepare a set of stimulative
fiscal measures for foreign investors and domestic entrepreneurs,
realise a state treasury project, and stabilise the banking
sector.
(hina) ms/ha jn