GOVT. RELIEVES PENSION INSURANCE BUREAU OFFICIAL OVER FAKE DIPLOMA

ZAGREB, Nov 30 (Hina) - The Croatian government on Thursday relieved of duty the assistant manager at the Croatian Pension Insurance Bureau (HZMO), Zarko Rados, due to a false diploma, and bound ministers and managers at state management organisations to seek within 15 days a verification of diplomas for all state officials and civil servants employed in said bodies. There are clues and suspicions pointing to similar cases elsewhere as well, said Prime Minister Ivica Racan. He told Labour and Social Welfare Minister Davorko Vidovic, who suggested relieving Rados, to be more careful in the future. Racan emphasised this referred to all other ministers as well, since oversights of this kind were not going to be justified. Minister Vidovic admitted to being the one who suggested Zarko Rados as deputy to HZMO manager Dunja Vidosevic. "The selection of that man for that position was my choice," Vidovic said. He deeply apologised to the prime ministers and the government, saying he himself had been fooled. Vidovic said Rados had presented a false biography, and during an interview with the minister deliberately failed to mention that he did not have the required qualifications. He fooled me and the HZMO manager, and I fooled the government, said Vidovic. His ministry and the entire ancillary system, which employs about 14,000 people, have been ordered to carry out thorough analyses of each employee and their qualifications. During today's session, the government should address some 30 items, including a package of tax bills and the final version of a bill on ownership transformation and privatisation audits. According to the latest reports, the main topic, a draft budget for 2001, will be tackled at the closed-door part of the session. (hina) ha jn