LJUBLJANSKA BANKA'S CROATIAN CLIENTS LOSING PATIENCE

ZAGREB, Feb 5 (Hina) - Croatian clients to whom the Ljubljanska Banka owes a total of DM300 million are asking the Croatian Government to clarify how the problem will be solved. Bozidar Vukasovic told a press conference on Friday, on behalf of a large number of the bank's clients, that he had requested of Foreign Minister Mate Granic and Finance Minister Borislav Skegro to clearly define whether the problem will be solved by arbitration, that is, by the way envisaged for savings transfers. He recalled that in 1991 the Ljubljanska Banka had blocked the savings accounts of 140,000 Croatian clients. A part of them decided to transfer about DM600 million to the Croatian Government, i.e. Croatian banks. These transferred savings is a part of Croatia's national debt. The remaining DM300,000 should be paid by the Ljubljanska Banka to the clients themselves. In a letter to Croatian ministers, Vukasovic called on them to, in future talks with Slovenia, insist on amendments to Slovenia's law on Ljubljanska Banka. The law, he said, has disabled owners of foreign currency savings accounts who are not citizens or residents of Slovenia, to request the payment of Slovenia's debts. Should the problem remain unsolved, the ministers should present it to relevant European bodies, Vukasovic said. He added the Slovene side has for a long time been successfully avoiding the obligation it should fulfil. (hina) lml jn