GOVT ADOPTS BILL ON COMPULSORY AND VOLUNTARY PENSION FUNDS

( Editorial: --> 0173 ) ZAGREB, July 2 (Hina) - The Croatian Government on Thursday adopted a bill on compulsory and voluntary pension funds. The government was informed about the successful confiscation of 16 tonnes of marijuana in Zagreb's customs office of Jankomir. The bill on compulsory and voluntary pension funds proposes solutions for compulsory and voluntary individual recapitalised saving, to be applied as of the year 2000. The new pension insurance model would be compulsory for people under the age of 40 and voluntary for those from the age of 40 to 50, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Joso Skara said. Both compulsory and voluntary pension funds will be supervised by a special agency. The establishment of these funds would complete the pension reform which is of great importance for the financial position of future pensioners, Vice Premier Ljerka Mintas-Hodak said. The funds will also contribute to the increase of national saving and stimulate the development of the capital market, she added. Considering the transition costs, a uniform Value Added Tax (PDV) rate will be necessary for another several years so that the pension reform could be completed successfully, Skegro said. The Government congratulated the Customs Administration and the Interior Ministry on the confiscation of 16 tonnes of marijuana, the largest shipment confiscated this year in Europe and one of the largest in the world. The Government was informed about the police action in detail by Interior Minister Ivan Penic and Customs Administration Director Josip Knezic. The marijuana was found hidden in bed linen in two containers on a trailer truck which came from Koper, Slovenia. The shipment arrived in Koper on a ship from Malaysia. An investigation in underway including two Slovene truck drivers and owners of the merchandise that was in the containers. Tourism Minister Sergej Morsan informed the Government about the tourist turnover in June. The turnover has registered a slightly slower growth than it was planned, Morsan said, expressing hope that the next month would bring planned growth of 10-15%. The Government also adopted a decision saying that all displaced people had to provide additional information in their requests for the reconstruction of their homes by July 31. Namely, many displaced people failed to state that they do not own a flat or a house in other parts of Croatia, or that they would return the flat they had been temporarily given, which is a precondition for issuing reconstruction certificates. Those displaced who fail to send such statements by the end of July will be denied reconstruction and will no longer have the status of displaced persons. (hina) jn rml/mbr 021823 MET jul 98