CROATIAN PM RACAN MEETS IMF DELEGATION

ZAGREB, Nov 10 (Hina) - International Monetary Fund (IMF) representatives, who held a meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan at the end of their two-week visit to Croatia, gave full support to the Racan Government's endeavours to carry out its economic strategy. PM Racan, a Deputy Prime Minister Slavko Linic and Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac, on Friday received the IMF officials led by the mission's head Hans Flickenschild. Present at the meeting was Croatian National Bank (HNB) Governor Zeljko Rohatinski. According to a statement released by the Government's public relations office, Premier Racan notified the IMF delegation of the current economic and political situation in the country, a macroeconomic projection for the next three years and a draft budget for 2001. He said that despite of the problems it was facing now, Croatia had both economic and political resources necessary for its attempts to recover from a economic crisis. The Government will expedite reforms with an emphasis given to the pension and public health reforms, and it is very important for Zagreb to enjoy the confidence of international institutions such as IMF in those efforts, he added. Deputy Premier Linic spoke of a process of decentralisation of the systems of the social welfare, public health and education. (hina) jn ms