ZAGREB, Dec 8 (Hina) - The government headed by current Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa in the period between 7 November 1995 and 15 October 1999 held a total of 238 sessions, including 77 ones closed to the public, says an extensive
report on government work under Matesa released on Wednesday. In the four-year period, the Croatian government discussed more than 5,100 agenda items, and at its motion, parliament adopted more than 450 new acts, the reports says.
ZAGREB, Dec 8 (Hina) - The government headed by current Croatian
Premier Zlatko Matesa in the period between 7 November 1995 and 15
October 1999 held a total of 238 sessions, including 77 ones closed
to the public, says an extensive report on government work under
Matesa released on Wednesday.
In the four-year period, the Croatian government discussed more
than 5,100 agenda items, and at its motion, parliament adopted more
than 450 new acts, the reports says.#L#
The 400-plus-page report begins with programme addresses Croatian
President Franjo Tudjman made at government sessions he chaired
himself, the constituent session on 7 November 1995, and
anniversary ones in 1996, 1997, and 1998.
The report brings detailed information on the macroeconomic
surroundings in which the government worked.
In the 1994-1997 period, the average annual growth in Croatian
economy was over six percent. The growth rate of the Gross National
Product (GNP) slowed down in 1998, when it amounted to 2.3 percent.
A 4.5 percent drop was recorded in the fourth trimester of 1998. A
negative growth rate of 1.7 percent was recorded in the first
trimester of this year, which, the report states, was the second
consecutive drop of the GNP.
The report also brings data on the growth of salaries and pensions,
and reminds of a series of measures aimed at reducing taxes.
Salaries last August were in nominal value 59.8 percent, in real
value 37.6 percent higher than in January 1996, while pensions last
June were 46.2 percent higher than in January 1996.
The report further brings a series of other indicators of trends in
public spending and the fiscal policy, which in this government's
mandate was marked by the introduction of Value Added Tax.
In the past four years, the government intensively worked on the
elimination of the damage caused in the Serb aggression on Croatia
earlier in the decade. According to the report, war damage amounts
to US$31.52 billion. Between the end of 1995 and the end of this
year, the government earmarked US$3.92 billion for reconstruction
in and the revival of war-ravaged areas.
The report further states that 186 companies were covered by
government measures aimed at financial rehabilitation. These
companies received direct assistance also from competent
ministries.
The government gave special support to tourism, by reprogramming a
total of US$187 million of loans granted to tourist companies.
The report also outlines the government's work in other fields,
from culture, education, and social care, to agriculture, banking,
and privatisation.
Matesa's government will also be remembered for voucher
privatisation and the privatisation of public companies, which
began with autumn's privatisation of part of Croatian Telecom.
(hina) ha mm