ZAGREB, Jan 20 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman concluded his Address on the state of the nation by reviewing the tasks and goals of Croatia's internal and foreign policy in the year 1999. "Having achieved, in 1998, total
sovereignty over the last part of state territory - the Croatian Danubian Region - as the essential goal of national-state policy, the Croatian people expect, with all reason, all Croatian authorities to concentrate all their forces and efforts on the prosperity of all citizens. And in peace-time conditions, obviously, the main goal must be the building of a just and social state of the people. The most important and essential goals of all government and socio-economic subjects in 1999 include the following: The maintenance of economic and internal socio-political stability remains the primary task. The achievement of GDP growth is a basic condition for deali
ZAGREB, Jan 20 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman concluded
his Address on the state of the nation by reviewing the tasks and
goals of Croatia's internal and foreign policy in the year 1999.
"Having achieved, in 1998, total sovereignty over the last part of
state territory - the Croatian Danubian Region - as the essential
goal of national-state policy, the Croatian people expect, with all
reason, all Croatian authorities to concentrate all their forces
and efforts on the prosperity of all citizens.
And in peace-time conditions, obviously, the main goal must be the
building of a just and social state of the people.
The most important and essential goals of all government and socio-
economic subjects in 1999 include the following:
The maintenance of economic and internal socio-political stability
remains the primary task.
The achievement of GDP growth is a basic condition for dealing with
social issues and for the achievement of all the goals of a socially
just state.
Economic policy as a whole should promote production and
employment, reduce unemployment, a speedier increase of exports
than the increase of the GDP, and continue to reduce the current
account deficit.
One of the key economic policy tasks is faster privatisation,
including the privatisation of tourist facilities and of large
public companies and banks, and allowing for the participation of
foreign investors as well.
The stabilisation and consolidation of the banking system is a
separate task of major importance, intended to reinforce the trust
in Croatian banks through the enforcement of the new Bank Law.
The Government must provide for the adoption and implementation of
strategic development guidelines in all areas.
The plans for a new coal-fired thermal power plant should be
abandoned not only for environmental but also for other reasons.
Particular and continuing attention should be devoted to the
revival and development of agriculture and tourism, and to the
return of expatriates and displaced persons and refugees to the
liberated areas. As experience has shown, the reconstruction and
development of the economy in the liberated areas, and in areas of
particular concern, are the essential prerequisites for the return
of displaced persons to their homes and for the settlement of
Croatian refugees in deserted areas.
Important tasks lie in store for the administration of justice,
expected to assure a determined and fast sanctioning of all forms of
unlawfulness and abuse. In this field efficiency is essential for
the solution of the backlog of cases in the economy, fiscal
offences, and abuses in banking and other operations.
If the entire system of justice with the Supreme Court at its head,
and the Constitutional Court, are to function more efficiently,
they must perform as a more harmonious whole within the structure of
Croatian state authority. This should also be kept in mind in
connection with the end of the mandate, due this year, of the
present members of the Constitutional Court.
The punishment of individual unlawful, greedy acquisition of
personal gain at the expense of the general community is an
essential element in the operation of judiciary bodies.
In the coming year government administration and local self-
government should pursue more consistently the development of
qualified, professional and responsible governance, and firmly
eliminate all forms of red tape and abuse.
Certain government administration bodies ought to be relocated
outside Zagreb for a number of reasons, demographic ones included.
Considering the general circumstances, I deem it appropriate and
purposeful to reshuffle the Government, to an extent, in terms of
reducing the excessive number of ministries and pooling similar
activities. The current organisation of the Government has partly
been inherited, and is partly the outcome of war-time
circumstances. The Government includes 22 ministries, as compared
with a much lower number in twenty-odd democratic and transition
countries.
I think that changes ought to be made in the organisation of the
Government in spite of the fact that the present Government, with
Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa, has very successfully discharged its
duties throughout its three-year term of office, and particularly
in 1998.
The changes I have in mind and intend to propose to the Government
and Parliament should be implemented for the sake of a faster and
more efficient solution of important and undeferrable issues, but
also in order to promote reduction and enhance efficiency of the
administration at all levels.
The necessary reorganisation of the Government should also provide
for a higher, transparent responsibility and homogeneity of
Government officials in arriving at comprehensive and pressing
solutions of both short and long-term questions, in order to avoid
delays due to coordination among different departments.
Changes are required and inevitable also in the organisation and
operation of the judiciary, i.e., in the administration of justice,
for the sake of higher efficiency which is of major political and
economic interest for the general public.
In the implementation of policies focused on the achievement of a
socially just state one should continue to pursue the resolution,
as successfully as possible, of problems affecting retired people.
The growth of pensions must be the primary concern, but it must be
based on real sources in order to avoid endangering internal
economic stability and thereby deteriorating the pensioners? very
position.
High-quality health care is also a key point in the assurance of a
socially stable society. However, the solution of problems
affecting health care is only possible through the redesign of the
system and new forms of funding, while respecting the basic
principles of the health care profession.
The National Scientific Research Program should be implemented
consistently in 1999. This regards first and foremost the continued
reform of higher education and the school system bearing in mind the
overall requirements of socio-political, scientific, cultural and
economic development.
A continued development of culture, particularly in the
safeguarding of the cultural heritage and strengthening of the
cultural identity of the nation, and promotion of cultural
creativity, should be assured by a reasonable use of budgetary
funding.
All these demanding tasks should be successfully achieved in
complex international circumstances.
The consistent implementation of the Agreement on Special
Relations with the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the
assurance of efficient operation of the Joint Council for
Cooperation between the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and
Herzegovina, are of essential importance for the strategic
interests of the Croatian State, and for the security of the
Croatian people.
Particular care should be devoted to the completion of the work of
commissions responsible for border matters with Slovenia, Bosnia
and Herzegovina and the FRY.
The process of normalisation of relations should be sustained by
the bilateral agreement on Prevlaka with the FRY, by the resolution
of outstanding economic and traffic issues, and by the firm
insistence on the resolution of succession.
With respect to Croatia?s membership in international associations
the key foreign policy tasks remain to be association with the WTO
and CEFTA, the elimination of obstacles hindering entry into
European associations, and the strengthening of friendly and
partnership relations with the United States, EU countries and
neighbouring states, but also with the Russian Federation, China
and other countries.
In internal socio-political life we must most comprehensively
promote the development of genuine and responsible democracy,
assure full efficiency of the legal system intended to guarantee
the general rule of law and the protection of the rights of every
individual, and consistently continue to pursue the policy of
reconciliation and stronger harmony among all segments of
society.
In this regard, a particularly major role should be played by the
Croatian National Parliament, which must devote more attention to
essential questions related to Croatia?s internal development and
international position.
The achievement of these goals intended to enhance social security
and increase the citizens? standard of living can certainly be
expected to lead to an additional confirmation of the individual
citizen as the basic social mainstay of Croatian democracy and,
hence, of national independence.
These demanding objectives can only be achieved in common, with all
democratic and socio-nationally responsible people - from retired
persons to Croatia?s youth.
We shall succeed in overcoming the existing difficulties and
resolve all current problems, with the firm belief that we can
continue to count on the unity of the large majority of the Croatian
people in the future general building of our Homeland.
In the new, present-day peace-time period - in spite of the
complexity of economic and social circumstances - our current
difficulties pale in comparison with our overall experience during
the hard days of aggression, the Homeland War, defence and
construction, and international recognition of the independent
Croatian State," Tudjman said in his address.
(hina) lml jn