LOWER HOUSE APPOINTS ROHATINSKI CRO. NATIONAL BANK GOVERNOR

ZAGREB, July 12 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament's House of Representatives on Wednesday appointed Zeljko Rohatinski new governor at the Croatian National Bank (HNB). The Lower House relieved former governor Marko Skreb of duty. Skreb had made his mandate available several months ago after parliament rejected HNB's financial reports. Rohatinski was appointed HNB governor by a majority of vote. Representatives of the Croatian Democratic Union and the Croatian Party of Rights abstained, saying they had no complaints about the new governor's competence, but over the fact that they had been excluded from consultations on the head of the central bank. This afternoon the Lower House was to vote on four bills discussed earlier today, but the voting was postponed for tomorrow after the government requested time to take a position on the bills. The bills are necessary for Croatia's access to the World Trade Organisation, and consist of amendments to the laws on tariffs, Value Added Tax, the financing of local government and self- government, and privatisation. The Lower House continued the session with a debate on amendments to the Law on the Execution of the State Budget. (hina) ha jn