PRIME MINISTER PRESENTS NEW MINISTERS IN PARLIAMENT

( Editorial: --> 0811 ) ZAGREB, March 19 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa on Wednesday introduced to the House of Representatives the newly- appointed Minister for European Integrations, Ljerka Mintas- Hodak, Administration Minister Marjan Ramuscak and Education Minister Bozidar Pugelnik. This gave rise to an unexpectedly sharp and protracted debate. HDZ members supported the new ministers while some Opposition members cast doubts on their professional capabilities and demanded that they submit programmes for their work. "Ramuscak is professionally quite up to this task - he is university educated and has been working in the justice and administration department since the creation of the Croatian state," Matesa said. According to Matesa, the new administration minister's most important task will be to draw up a new bill on the financing of local government and self-government by the end of May. "The reform of the school system will be the task of the new education minister, in which he will have the wholehearted support of the whole Government," Matesa said, introducing Bozidar Pugelnik. "Pugelnik spent his entire working life in education and is familiar with its problems - he also knows how to create a curriculum which will lead the young generations into the next millenium," Matesa said. "In view of her past duties, Ljerka Mintas-Hodak was the logical choice for minister of European integrations," Matesa said. He also announced the creation of a Government Office for European Integrations whose task would be to harmonise the Croatian legislation with the demands of European integrations. "This body will not act as a competitor of the Foreign Ministry," he said. (hina) mm as/mrb 191306 MET mar 98