PARLIAMENT TO DISCUSS NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET IN MID-DECEMBER

ZAGREB, Nov 28 (Hina) - The government budget for next year will be adopted at the Croatian Parliament in mid-December. The draft budget with accompanying laws (on application, tax law package, etc) will be the focus of the 9th session of the House of Representatives which will last from December 5 until 15, the Parliamentary Presidency decided Tuesday. Attending the session were also presidents of parliamentary party benches. At the last regular session this year, some 40 items will be discussed by the Lower House. Due to the extensive agenda, it seems likely that some of the material will have to wait for the new round of parliamentary sessions in January. The House will, however, sit four instead of the usual three days a week. The Parliament Presidency decided the first anniversary of the late Croatian president Franjo Tudjman's passing (December 12) would be market with a minute of silence at the House of Representatives and laying of wreaths and lighting of candles on his grave. The Presidency on Tuesday also discussed attempts to rationalise expenses for the use of mobile telephones and vehicles. In the past ten months MPs have spent 900,000 kuna for every-day expenses, and about 1.3 million kuna for expenses of using their own vehicles and arrivals to sessions. (hina) lml jn