BANK AUSTRIA CREDITANSTALT CROATIA HAS BEST RESULTS SINCE SET-UP

ZAGREB, May 18 (Hina) - The assets of 'Bank Austria Creditanstalt Croatia d.d.' amounted to 1.33 billion kuna (158.3 million US dollars) in the end of last year. After the taxation, net earnings totalled 30.6 million kuna ($3.6 million). The bank's management described 1999 as successful. Last year saw the confirmation and strengthening of the bank's position on the Croatian market when it scored best results since its establishment, Bank Austria Creditanstalt Croatia reported on Thursday. In 1999 Bank Austria Creditanstalt Croatia set up a branch office in Rijeka. Before, it had opened offices in Zagreb, Dubrovnik and Zadar. In 2000 Bank Austria Creditanstalt Croatia is planning to set up another two branch office. The Wuestenrot savings bank for housing, owned totally by Bank Austria Creditanstalt Croatia, marked good results in business as well. Since its establishment in 1998 it has been working in cooperation with Wuestenrot savings banks from Austria and Germany. In the end of 1998 this Wuestenrot registered 3,407 agreements on the saving for housing purposes, while in the end of last year it had 11,081 concluded deals, with deposits worth 29 million kuna ($3.4 million) (hina) jn ms