CRO GOVT SENDING WARNING SIGNALS TO EUROPE ON DOUBLE STANDARDS

ZAGREB, Oct 25 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan said the government was, through a number of contacts with European officials, warning about the danger of double standards towards Yugoslavia after elections in this country. Excessive fear is unnecessary, because Yugoslavia was today less ready to dismiss cooperation with the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague, Racan said during question time at the Parliament's House of Representatives. Foreign Minister Tonino Picula added the United State's general policy was insisting on the fulfilment of provisions committing on cooperation with The Hague, and this would be the case in relations between Washington and Belgrade. Picula recalled recent conclusions of the Croatian government, adopted after elections in Yugoslavia, which warned the international community to stick to unified criteria in its assessment of the situation in this part of Europe. Racan and other government members said a question by MP Ljerka Mintas Hodak of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party, was very important. She asked why domestic banks were unwilling to grant loans for domestic businesses. Racan stressed he had noted banks "granting loans exclusively according to a property criterion, not according to development programmes". He added the government, although it had tried to contribute to the stabilisation of the banking system in the nine months it has been active, was not satisfied with the attitude of banks towards the possibilities of development in Croatia. In reply to the same question, vice premier Slavko Linic said about US$200 million of foreign investments are expected to enter Croatia, to be directed towards development, and foreign bankers will direct the funds to where they should be invested. MP Hodak was also interested in the results of Tuesday's talks between the government and representatives of the World Bank, concerning the imminent pension insurance reform. Racan answered the government was very satisfied with the talks, based on which he could say that funds and participation of the world Bank in the pension insurance reform were secured. Asked by a member of the Croatian Party of Rights, Tonci Tadic, why Croatian business people failed to visit American business people, as had been agreed during President Mesic and Racan's visit to the United States, the Prime Minister said the visit had been postponed, not definitely cancelled. Until some laws significant for foreign investors are passed, the government feels it is better to postpone the visit for after presidential elections in the US. As regards economic problems and in reply to a question by an MP, Racan asserted the government had nothing against an economic working group assembled by President Stipe Mesic, if they had a wish to deal with and help solve economic problems. (hina) lml