CRO AND BH MUST SIGN TRADE AGREEMENT URGENTLY - LASIC

MOSTAR, June 8 (Hina) - The delay in signing a trade agreement between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina will have disastrous effects on the two countries' economy, particularly on export companies because their products cannot stand competition on foreign markets due to high tariffs. According to estimates of the Hercegbosna Chamber of Commerce, presented at a press conference in Mostar on Tuesday, 5,000 employees in Croat-owned companies in Bosnia's Croat-Muslim Federation and 15,000 employees in companies in Croatia could lose their jobs unless the trade agreement is signed in the near future. A Croatian-Bosnian trade agreement on duty-free trade, signed in 1995, became invalid on May 15, 1999. According to president of the Hercegbosna Chamber of Commerce Jago Lasic, the Bosnian Parliament will discuss the trade agreement, which has been adjusted according to standards of the World Trade Organisation and the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs. Lasic accused the Bosniak leadership and "certain Croat representatives" for the delay in the signing of the agreement. Unless the agreement is signed within the next 15 days, it will have to be be postponed until next year due to vacations and no possibility of being ratified by the Bosnian parlimert, Lasic added. (hina) it jn/ha