CONFERENCE ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND FISCAL POLICIES STARTS

PLITVICE LAKES, Aug 24 (Hina) - A new economic policy should create conditions for the creation of at least 30,000 new jobs per annum, said Croatia's Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac at an expert working conference that started at Plitvice Lakes on Thursday evening. The event which gathers Government officials, parliamentarians, President Stjepan Mesic's chief advisor on economic issues, Croatian National Bank and Chamber of Commerce representatives, unionists and employers, will revolve around projections of budgets for 2001-2003, framework strategies for the economic progress, changes in the fiscal policies and starting points for a social pact. Opening this event, organised by the finance ministry, an assistant to Finance Minister, Velimir Rajkovic said the ministry assessed that in the coming years the Croatian economy would be recovered well so that in 2004 it could expect the growth rate of even 4.5 percent. According to a statement released by Finance Minister's spokeswoman, Crkvenac said the recovery of the Croatian economy from a coma typical for countries in transition, would take two to three years. Minister added that following the first, short-term, stage in the work of the incumbent Government, one could notice signs of new trends. Former arbitration economic policy is being replaced by market economy. He said that this year could see a 2.3 percent drop in employment as old, concealed figures about the real state of affairs regarding the jobless were eventually discovered. However, the ministry's analysts forecast a one-percent-rise in the employment next year, while in coming two or three year the employment should increase by two percent annually, namely by 30,000 new jobs, Crkvenac told the gathered. This conference will last by Sunday. (hina) ms