SABOR DISCUSSES BILLS ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS, ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE FOOD PRODUCTION

ZAGREB, May 19 (Hina) - The main purpose of the bill on telecommunications is to liberalise services in the area of telecommunications and prepare Croatia for conditions required by the World Trade Organisation, representatives at the Croatian National Sabor's House of Representatives said at a session held in Zagreb on Wednesday. Apart from the bill on telecommunications, the Lower House today debated several other bills, including a bill on environmentally safe food production. As regards the telecommunications system, main WTO terms are the liberalisation of the system and the introduction of other providers of telecommunication services, which would break up the monopoly of the Croatian Telecommunications (HT) over the immobile network. The introduction of such providers is not envisioned until the year 2003. Josko Kontic (Croatian Social-Liberal Party, HSLS) said it remained unanswered to what extent the bill was aimed at establishing another form of monopoly under the pretext of breaking up the state monopoly. Mato Arlovic (Social Democratic Party, SDP) said the law was necessary but the bill had to be revised, and the section on the prohibition of monopoly had to be harmonised with the Law on the Protection of Market Competition. Croatia needs a law on environmentally safe food production, but the proposed bill is too sketchy, the MPs agreed. The production of healthy food offers great possibilities for Croatia and, with small investments, it can bring considerable profits to farmers. The Lower House also discussed several laws on the ratification of international agreements and conventions. The session continues tomorrow. (hina) rml