GOVERNMENT RELEASES ASSET DECLARATIONS OF CROATIAN MINISTERS

( Editorial: --> 3049 ) ZAGREB, Aug 12 (Hina) - The Croatian Government has released a list of asset declarations by all of its 22 cabinet members, which shows that most of them receive income in addition to their ministerial salaries. Many ministers were receiving fees as members of company supervisory boards and several donated their additional income to humanitarian purposes. Nearly all ministers owned or co-owned flats or homes, or were paying off flats, and some were also land owners. The "richest" Croatian cabinet member is Immigration Minister Marijan Petrovic, who accumulated his wealth during his years living in Canada. The written statements on income and asset status by ministers, which must be done in accordance with the Law on Rights and Obligations of State Officials, was released to journalists on Tuesday and widely reported in Croatian daily newspapers today. The declarations outline information on the asset and income status of ministers since the day they took their posts. They also contain details on the income and asset status of the ministers' family members if they all live under the same household. It was stated that Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa's statement was not included in the released list of declarations as it had already been released to the press. But it is known he receives a monthly fee of 5,000 kuna (about US$780) as management president of the Bank Rehabilitation Agency. Under law this position is filled by the Prime Minister. However according to his declaration, the Croatian Premier does not own land, homes, holiday homes, shares or stakes in companies, nor does he receive income from assets or other sources. He sold the flat he received as family inheritance and the proceeds of 525,400 kuna (about $82,000) have been put into an account with a Croatian bank. His wife is a co-owner of a flat. Apart from his ministerial salary, Immigration Minister Petrovic receives 26,000 Canadian dollars (114,000 kuna) annually from the food-processing firm Port Royal Mills in Canada. His statement also reveals he receives C$21,900 annually (96,798 kuna) as rent for the industrial building of Goal Holding Ltd, and C$12,000 annually (53,000 kuna) as a fee from the alcohol importing firm Vintage Croatia. Petrovic said that his wife receives the same fee for the renting of the industrial building, while his son and daughter are on the payroll of Port Royal Mills. The shares in the firm worth C$1.25 million (5.5 million kuna) are divided up with the children. He also owns 50 per cent of Goal Holding Ltd, with the shares he bought in 1976 now worth about C$1.1 million (4,862,000 kuna). Among other things, he owns a flat in Mexico, a house in Tuheljske toplice and has 742,500 German marks in Croatian bank accounts. Despite her position as one of Croatia's six Deputy Prime Ministers, European Integration Minister Ljerka Mintas-Hodak is not a member of any company boards, and does not receive additional income to her salary. She also does not have access to funds in a bank account containing more than 500,000 kuna (about US$78,000). Justice Minister Milan Ramljak, another Deputy PM, declared that between 1994 and June 1997 as Croatia's Ambassador to Austria he received 48,300 Austrian schillings monthly (24,000 kuna), and then 58,740 schillings. He also has an account with Bank Austria in Vienna. He bought a flat on credit and currently receives 4,000 German marks monthly in rental income. Ramljak currently lives in his son's flat and owns land on the islands of Hvar and Krk and in Sestine near Zagreb and co-owns a flat. Deputy PM and Finance Minister Borislav Skegro receives fees as a member of various company supervisory boards and he and his wife have shares in several Croatian firms. Reconstruction and Development Minister Jure Radic declared as income his "Deputy Prime Minister's salary" but did not outline the amount of income he received as a member of various company supervisory boards and from occasional honorariums. He owns two flats in Zagreb. Foreign Minister Mate Granic, another Deputy PM, owns a share of two homes and sold a flat in 1990 for 2.2 million kuna (about US$340,000). He also received income as a company board member and in honorariums, while his wife also receives pay and is a land owner. Science and Technology Minister Ivica Kostovic also declared his "Deputy Prime Minister's salary" and outlined various other interests, including that he owned flats and land in different locations. Interior Minister Ivan Penic's statement included the information that he and his wife were paying off shares they owned and were owners of the family home. Defence Minister Andrija Hebrang receives income as a regular university professor and author's fees. Among his assets is a home in Pakrac which was 80 per cent destroyed during the war. Administration Minister Marijan Ramuscak receives income as a member of company boards and the pension security fund. He has declared various property interests and says that since taking up his duties, he has bought a flat, sold his law office and spent 60,000 German marks from a savings account for the upkeep and education his two children. Included in their declared interests was Labour and Social Welfare Minister Joso Skara's flat in Zagreb, Zoning, Construction and Housing Minister Marko Sirac's co-ownership with his wife of two flats and two homes, and Privatisation Minister Milan Kovac's fees as a member of several company supervisory boards. He donates part of the proceedings for humanitarian purposes. Tourism Minister Sergej Morsan's declaration included co-owning land and the family home, while Health Minister Zeljko Reiner outlined he received about 5,000 kuna (about US$780) monthly in author's fees as well as other income and property. Education and Sports Minister Bozidar Pugelnik receives income from renting commercial space in the family home and co-owns a bachelor flat. Agriculture and Forestry Minister Zlatko Dominikovic allocated his extra income as a member of supervisory boards to a humanitarian organisation and owned various properties. Maritime Affairs, Transportation and Communications Minister Zeljko Luzavec and Economy Minister Nenad Porges also sat on various companies and owned property or shares. Croatian Defenders Minister Juraj Njavro owned coupon shares allocated to him as a war invalid and displaced person. He holds tenancy rights to a flat in Croatia's eastern city of Vukovar, in which also his house is destroyed, and paid off a flat in Zagreb Culture Minister Bozo Biskupic declared various incomes and assets, including ownership of two artworks. (Hina) mbr rml 122315 MET aug 98