CRO ECONOMIC-SOCIAL COUNCIL ENDORSES BILLS ON PRIVATISATION AUDIT

ZAGREB, June 26 (Hina) - Croatia's Economic-Social Council (GSV) at Monday's session endorsed a government-motioned set of bills referring to privatisation auditing, GSV president Vitomir Begovic told reporters after the session. Begovic said GSV fully endorsed the motioned privatisation auditing bills, suggesting that in cases where there are indications pointing to illegal operations, the origin of the money through which the privatisation was carried out must be established. He added this primarily referred to "peddlers" who carried foreign currency in bags to take over shares from small shareholders when privatisation began. GSV urged criminal prosecution for such individuals and groups, as well as setting sums they had to pay and deadlines they had to comply with to compensate for the losses they caused to companies, small shareholders or the state. Discussing a pension reform, GSV concluded the model of generation solidarity was spent and unsustainable. "Given that the government has suggested moving the original date for the pension reform to come into force from 1 July 2000 to 1 January 2002, we have evaluated that the deadline ought to be examined so that the pension reform could begin as soon as possible," said Begovic. (hina) ha mm