ZAGREB, April 29 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Thursday sent into urgent parliamentary procedure a bill on the privatisation of Croatian Telecommunications (HT). The bill envisages the sale of at least 25 per cent of HT shares
plus one share to a strategic investor; five per cent of shares would be sold to HT's current and former employees and the Croatian Post; and five per cent of shares would go to Croatian soldiers and members of their families. According to the bill, the sale of shares would be conducted by the Government. The Government would also choose the strategic investor and decide about the number of shares to be sold to the investor. The Government today also adopted a decision according to which a former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) barracks on Sveta Gera would without compensation become the property of Croatian Climbers' Association, and be turned into a
ZAGREB, April 29 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Thursday sent
into urgent parliamentary procedure a bill on the privatisation of
Croatian Telecommunications (HT).
The bill envisages the sale of at least 25 per cent of HT shares plus
one share to a strategic investor; five per cent of shares would be
sold to HT's current and former employees and the Croatian Post; and
five per cent of shares would go to Croatian soldiers and members of
their families.
According to the bill, the sale of shares would be conducted by the
Government. The Government would also choose the strategic
investor and decide about the number of shares to be sold to the
investor.
The Government today also adopted a decision according to which a
former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) barracks on Sveta Gera would
without compensation become the property of Croatian Climbers'
Association, and be turned into a facility for tourism purposes.
Although Slovenia does not dispute that Sveta Gera is on Croatia's
territory, Slovene soldiers are currently occupying the barracks,
which is located near the very border Croatian-Slovene border.
Members of the Slovene armed forces seized the barracks from the JNA
in 1990 and have been controlling it since.
The decision to turn the barracks into a facility for tourism
purposes will contribute to the improvement of the good Croatian-
Slovene relations, Foreign Minister Mate Granic said.
At a news conference held after the government session, Finance
Minister Borislav Skegro spoke about the details of the bill on the
privatisation of HT.
The privatisation of the company will be conducted in two phases.
The first one, to be completed by the end of 1999, includes the sale
of shares to the strategic investor, employees and former
employees, and the allocation of shares to Croatian soldiers.
The second phase, to take place in 2000, will be public and include
the participation of all other Croatian citizens. However, the
state will keep 30 per cent of the shares, whose dividend would be
directed into the pension fund, which is regulated by special legal
documents.
The Government today also sent into parliamentary procedure a bill
on telecommunications, which does not constitute a precondition
for HT's privatisation.
According to Transport and Communications Minister Zeljko Luzavec,
this bill is aimed at ending HT's monopoly over immobile phone
network and at general liberalisation of telecommunications in
line with World Trade Organisation (WTO) guidelines, starting as of
year 2003.
The bill regulates telecommunications, radio, television and cable
television, relations between the provider and the user of
telecommunication services, and the construction, maintenance and
usage of telecommunication facilities and equipment, as well as of
radio stations.
The bill also envisages the establishment of an independent
regulator - the Croatian Institute for Telecommunications, which
would be responsible for law enforcement, granting of concessions,
and a list of prices of telecommunication services.
Finance Minister Skegro announced the establishment of similar
independent regulators in other areas as well, for example in power
production.
(hina) rml