ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament's House of Representatives discontinued the discussion and voting on amendments to the 2001 draft budget amounting to 49.67 billion kuna ($5.6 billion) at about 02.30 am Wednesday. The
session is to resume at 09.30 am when deputies are expected to consider the rest of some 300 amendments. During the last night's debate the lower house refused most of 180 amendments until that time discussed. Many MPs withdrew their amendments after they accepted the Government's explanation that its draft amendments contained about one third of amendments proposed by deputies. The rest was refused with the explanation that there was no enough budgetary means. None of amendments referring to demands for an increase in means for some counties, towns and municipalities were given the green light. Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac explained
ZAGREB, Nov 13 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament's House of
Representatives discontinued the discussion and voting on
amendments to the 2001 draft budget amounting to 49.67 billion kuna
($5.6 billion) at about 02.30 am Wednesday. The session is to resume
at 09.30 am when deputies are expected to consider the rest of some
300 amendments.
During the last night's debate the lower house refused most of 180
amendments until that time discussed.
Many MPs withdrew their amendments after they accepted the
Government's explanation that its draft amendments contained about
one third of amendments proposed by deputies. The rest was refused
with the explanation that there was no enough budgetary means.
None of amendments referring to demands for an increase in means for
some counties, towns and municipalities were given the green
light.
Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac explained that the Government had
drawn up a list of which local self-government units should get the
funds and in what amounts. This will be a just and objective way to
distribute 600 million kuna ($69.8m) earmarked to financially
assist the local level, said the minister.
Amendments about higher amounts of money to be earmarked for the
reconstruction were also refused. In this context, Reconstruction
Minister Radimir Cacic dismissed allegations of Croatian
Democratic Union (HDZ) deputies that the rebuilding would slow
down. The minister asserted the reconstruction of the war-hit areas
was being accelerated and more houses would be rebuilt this and next
year compared to the reconstruction in the previous years.
An amendments proposed by the HDZ for the assistance to Croats in
the federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina (the Croat-Moslem Bosnian
entity) was refused as well, and the Government explained that the
financial assistance to Croats in Bosnia depended on the economic
possibilities of Croatia. In addition, Mato Arlovic of the Social
Democratic Party (SDP) described that amendment as being contrary
to the Constitutions as it asked for the help to Croats only in one
entity rather than in the entire Bosnia.
An amendment proposed by Drago Krpina of the HDZ about the cuts in
the expenditure of the Government and the President's Office was
not given the green light.
For Krpina it is particularly scandalous that the Government's
representational funds will be enlarged by 920 percent and this
deputy of the strongest opposition party views such an increase as
the violation of the pre-election promise which the incumbent
ruling coalition gave about the austerity measures which the state
authorities would take. He suggested to the Ivica Racan Cabinet to
raise expenses for employees rather than increasing the
representational funds.
Finance Minister Crkvenac replied to Krpina asserting that the next
year's budget envisaged the 27-percent cut in the Government's
spending and claimed that the further slash in the expanses would
put the Government's work in jeopardy.
(hina) ms