ZAGREB, Sept 16 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan has refused the resignation tendered by Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac on Saturday.
ZAGREB, Sept 16 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan has
refused the resignation tendered by Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac
on Saturday.#L#
"I have rejected Minister Crkvenac's resignation. I cannot accept
it, as I assess his work as good and the Government needs him.
Crkvenac enjoys my confidence and the confidence of the entire
Government, and I believe that after all he enjoys the confidence of
a great part of the public," Croatian PM said on Saturday afternoon
after Minister Crkvenac offered his resignation along with a
decision that the Finance Ministry's instruction of September 11
limiting duty-free import of some groceries be no longer
implemented as of Monday, September 18.
"The intention of the instruction about restricting duty-free
imports was good, and the target of that decree was the fight
against back marketeering and organised crime. Unfortunately, the
implementation of this intention and concrete solutions were not
good and the response of the public was understandable, Racan
said.
The PM added that the implementation of the instruction had not
posed a threat only for black marketeers who violated law reselling
goods for which they evaded customs tariffs but it had also been to
the detriment of ordinary citizens.
"Protecting national and economic interests the Croatian
Government also listens to the voice of citizens. Therefore, it is
the Finance Minister's good decision to rescind the instruction, in
particular its segment referring to the quantity limitation for the
import of groceries," Premier Racan emphasised.
Racan assessed that Minister Crkvenac had offered his resignation
believing that he is responsible for an instruction which has come
under strong criticism.
(hina) ms