ZAGREB, Oct 5 (Hina) - To date, over 500 charges have been pressed against irregularities in privatisation and new charges will continue to be filed, a Croatian Deputy Prime Minister, Slavko Linic told the House of Representatives on
Wednesday. At the end of a parliamentary debate on an analysis of the Government-managed portfolio, Linic assessed that the work of the Croatian Privatisation Fund (HFP) had been bad and this had also been established by the State Audit. Books of the fund show one set of data while the situation on the ground reflect the other and now our efforts to find out the real state of affairs are taking days and nights, he stressed. A great part of the former leadership of the fund has been dismissed as they allowed that such a thing happened, Linic explained. Responding to accusations of the opposition's deputies that the Government did not know anything but launch bankruptcy
ZAGREB, Oct 5 (Hina) - To date, over 500 charges have been pressed
against irregularities in privatisation and new charges will
continue to be filed, a Croatian Deputy Prime Minister, Slavko
Linic told the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
At the end of a parliamentary debate on an analysis of the
Government-managed portfolio, Linic assessed that the work of the
Croatian Privatisation Fund (HFP) had been bad and this had also
been established by the State Audit.
Books of the fund show one set of data while the situation on the
ground reflect the other and now our efforts to find out the real
state of affairs are taking days and nights, he stressed. A great
part of the former leadership of the fund has been dismissed as they
allowed that such a thing happened, Linic explained.
Responding to accusations of the opposition's deputies that the
Government did not know anything but launch bankruptcy procedures,
Linic said the incumbent Government was only enforcing law. He
explained that bankruptcy processes were just an attempt to help a
firm's owner and creditors to reach agreement and in case they
cannot agree on further activities of the company, bankruptcy is
instigated.
This is not a policy of closing jobs but it is the clearance of
accumulated problems in overindebtedness and illiquidity in
companies, Linic said emphasising that it would no longer be
possible for irresponsible creditors to get money back from tax
payers. The Government, however, will help creditors who show
willing to save companies.
There are problems in the management of the government's portfolio
but we shall try to improve the work of the Privatisation Fund and
carry out further privatisation in a more transparent and efficient
manner, Linic concluded.
During the parliamentary debate most MPs criticised severely
privatisation processes which the former (HDZ) Government had
led.
On behalf of the Istrian Democratic Alliance (IDS) bench, Valter
Drandic said the privatisation used to be conducted under
suspicious circumstance, and its results were disastrous: debts of
companies, huge losses, work without wage, many bankrupt companies
and a rise in jobless rate.
On behalf of the bench of the former ruling party and the current
strongest opposition party (the Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ),
Milan Kovac, an ex privatisation minister, claimed that there were
no cases of embezzlement and mismanagement. Of all sold firms, just
4.4 percent was sold without previous public invitation for tenders
or without mediation of the Zagreb Stock Exchange.
The House of Representatives endorsed the Analysis of the
Government's Portfolio.
(hina) ms