ZAGREB, May 13 (Hina) - Direct and indirect damage to Croatian economy caused by NATO actions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has been assessed at more than US$1.5 billion. This is a very high price for Croatian conditions.
The damage is terrific for such a small state and economy, Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa said at a Government session on Thursday. The Government discussed a draft report on the state of damage in Croatian economy, and entrusted ministries to continue following and correcting, if necessary, the assessments. Besides the damage to Croatian tourism, NATO's actions against the FRY have caused significant damage in traffic, trade, and other fields of the economy. Some railways and roads have been closed, some contracted businesses have been cancelled, industrial production has declined, foreign trade has decreased, etc. According to figures presented, damage in industry has
ZAGREB, May 13 (Hina) - Direct and indirect damage to Croatian
economy caused by NATO actions against the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia has been assessed at more than US$1.5 billion.
This is a very high price for Croatian conditions. The damage is
terrific for such a small state and economy, Prime Minister Zlatko
Matesa said at a Government session on Thursday.
The Government discussed a draft report on the state of damage in
Croatian economy, and entrusted ministries to continue following
and correcting, if necessary, the assessments.
Besides the damage to Croatian tourism, NATO's actions against
the FRY have caused significant damage in traffic, trade, and other
fields
of the economy.
Some railways and roads have been closed, some contracted
businesses have been cancelled, industrial production has
declined, foreign trade has decreased, etc.
According to figures presented, damage in industry has been
assessed at US$800 million.
The most affected branch is the shipbuilding industry, followed by
the production of chemicals. There is almost no sector in the
processing industry which will not be affected.
Damage in traffic by May amounted to US$11.5 million and could reach
more than US$102.7 million by October.
Maritime transport has suffered damage estimated at US$3.7
million, while damage to road traffic amounts to US$1.86 million.
Air traffic has been most seriously affected, with damage estimated
at about US$6.1 million.
It is believed that this year's employment of some 20,000 people in
tourism will fail. The Employment Fund will set aside US$15 million
to pay unemployment allowances.
The Croatian Government today granted guarantees for an investment
programme of modernisation and reconstruction of the TLM-TVP
rolling mill in the southern Croatian town of Sibenik. The
guarantees refer to loans granted by the Westdeutsche Landesbank
Girozentrale from Duesseldorf, amounting to 30.4 million euros for
the purchase of equipment, 5.37 million euros for the advance
payment for a long-term loan for equipment import, and 14.3 million
euros for the financing of domestic costs.
The loans will enable complete modernisation of the rolling mill,
as well as the additional employment of domestic suppliers,
additional export incentives and about 400 to 500 new jobs in
Sibenik.
The war damage in the Sibenik company amounted to US$128.6 million.
The Government has so far directly or indirectly intervened with
more than US$71.4 million.
(hina) jn rml