HOUSE OF COUNTIES PASSES BILL ON MINES

( Editorial: --> 6938 ) ZAGREB, April 15 (Hina) - The Croatian House of Counties rejected two draft bills proposed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) which deal with highland areas and the return of debts to pensioners. Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) representatives rejected the bill on highland areas arguing that those areas are covered in the Law on Monetary Incentives for Agriculture and Fisheries and the Law on Areas Under Special Government Care and that the bill is unfeasible. Opposition MPs, on the contrary, supported the bill in the debate, on the suggestion that it should be decided exactly which areas are highlands. HDZ representatives declared the draft bill on the return of debts to pensioners a good marketing strategy but unfeasible and without sufficient funds because they confirmed that the government currently does not have money for that. On behalf of SDP Ratko Maricic judged that the pension fund should not be reformed until the government debt to pensioners is established. He confirmed that the government withheld 34 current pensions for pensioners, and that the government budget owes pension funds roughly more than US$1 billion. The House of Counties passed, with a great majority, the bill on confirming conventions on the prohibition of use, gathering of resources, production and transport of anti-personnel mines and on their annihilation. The House passed the bill on confirming consular conventions between Croatia and Rumania, with a final draft ensuing. (hina) mm mrb/lm 151753 MET apr 98