ZAGREB, June 29 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament's House of Representatives on Thursday discussed a report on the execution of the state budget in 1999, singling out an increase in the number of the unemployed by 80,000, a 0.3 percent
drop in Gross National product, and drops in industrial production and export. Dragica Zgrebec of the Social Democratic Party recalled the objectives the former government had spoken of when motioning the 1999 state budget, claiming the economy would rise by five percent, the unemployment rate decrease, that stability would be maintained, and production, export and social justice rise. The 1999 report shows that nothing has been achieved, she concluded. In 1999, the unemployment rate jumped from 17.2 to 20.8 percent, and a staggering 80,000 people lost their jobs. Given that this year many others will lose their jobs, the figures are frightening, said Damir Kajin of th
ZAGREB, June 29 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament's House of
Representatives on Thursday discussed a report on the execution of
the state budget in 1999, singling out an increase in the number of
the unemployed by 80,000, a 0.3 percent drop in Gross National
product, and drops in industrial production and export.
Dragica Zgrebec of the Social Democratic Party recalled the
objectives the former government had spoken of when motioning the
1999 state budget, claiming the economy would rise by five percent,
the unemployment rate decrease, that stability would be
maintained, and production, export and social justice rise. The
1999 report shows that nothing has been achieved, she concluded.
In 1999, the unemployment rate jumped from 17.2 to 20.8 percent, and
a staggering 80,000 people lost their jobs. Given that this year
many others will lose their jobs, the figures are frightening, said
Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Assembly. The crucial
question the new government is faced with is how to save existing
and open new jobs, he asserted.
Ivan Suker of the Croatian Democratic Union said the situation in
extra-budgetary funds was also bad. Even though last year's
budgetary grants for the Croatian Pension Insurance Institute were
6.2 billion kuna (US$775 million), the Institute is in enormous
debts, he asserted.
Since this year the government reduced earmarking for the Institute
by about one billion kuna (US$125 million), Suker wondered how
pensions would be paid towards the end of the year.
During debate, MPs also pointed to the difficult situation at the
Croatian Health Insurance Institute, state guarantees said to have
been issued "left and right", and the unplanned spending of
budgetary reserves, among else, to pay salaries in some private
companies in financial straits.
The Lower House adopted by a majority of vote the report on the
execution of the state budget in 1999, and resumed the session with
a debate on reports on Croatia's public debt and state guarantees
issued between 1996 and 1999.
(hina) ha