MATESA COMMENTS ON CONSTITUTIONAL COURT STATEMENT

( Editorial: --> 8905 ) ZAGREB, June 4 (Hina) - Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa repeated at Thursday's Government session that the Constitutional Court was familiar with the elements of the Law on Pension Adjustment. "I claim that the Constitutional Court was familiar with all elements of that law and all proposed solutions," Matesa said. "The Vice Premier Ljerka Mintas-Hodak and I personally visited the Court on January 13 exclusively for the sake of preparing and drawing up the law," Matesa added. The Constitutional Court on Wednesday described as untrue statements given by Premier Matesa and Government members saying the Law on Pension Adjustment was drawn up in cooperation with the Constitutional Court. Matesa said his intention was not to attack the Constitutional Court or its president, adding the Government would continue to regularly implement decisions of the Constitutional Court. "We do not deny the institution, on the contrary we respect it but the tone of yesterday's statement and parts of it are something completely different," Matesa added. He said it was inadmissible "for someone, who speaks about that problem, to assume the right to implicitly accuse the Premier of lying". "What I said is true and we are ready to speak about it and testify before the Croatian National Parliament, before any commission. We are ready to give documents we have, taped recordings from Government sessions at which Government members and I reported on talks with the Constitutional Court," Matesa said. (hina) rml/bag 041636 MET jun 98