BUDISA: COALITION PARTNERS HAVE ACCEPTED HSLS'S PROPOSAL REGARDING HINA DIRECTOR

ZAGREB, May 19 (Hina) - The president of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Drazen Budisa, told Croatian Television on Thursday evening he assessed positively the work of the Croatian government in the first hundred days of its mandate. Commenting on the government's decision not to reduce the Value Added Tax rate from 22 to 19 percent, contrary to some recent claims, Budisa, whose party is a member of the ruling coalition, said the government had bound itself to reduce the VAT rate and inform the public of the reduction rate by January 1 next year. Speaking about appointments to the highest positions at the Croatian Intelligence Service (HIS) and the Croatian news agency (Hina), Budisa said coalition partners had agreed on the appointment of the Hina director at a meeting held on Wednesday evening. Asked to reveal that person's name, Budisa said he did not want to speak about any names. "That person still has to decide whether to accept the appointment or not," Budisa said, adding that person had been proposed by the HSLS, but it was not an HSLS member. The HSLS insists that Pero Cvjetovic be appointed HIS director. This has also been suggested by the President of the Republic, Budisa said, adding he regretted that Ozren Zunec had resigned as HIS director and called on Zunec to reconsider his decision. Budisa dismissed criticisms directed against Defence Minister Jozo Rados due to nepotism and cronyism at the Defence Ministry, adding claims about the domination of the HSLS at the Defence Ministry or intelligence service were untrue. (hina) jn rml