ZAGREB, Nov 26 (Hina) - Croatian Lower House committees on +Wednesday gave the green light to the 1999 draft state budget, with +numerous remarks, mainly referring to higher earmarking for +certain beneficiaries and categories.+ The
committees proposed higher earmarking for mass grave site +marking, health, social welfare, employment, and certain +infrastructure objects, among else.+ During discussion, the parties voiced a series of remarks on the +draft budget, assessing it was pre-election oriented and aimed at +buying social peace.+ The 1999 draft budget exceeded the gross national product way too +much, said Ante Tukic of the Liberal Party (LS) parliamentary +bench. He pointed the draft was evidently pre-electoral.+ The LS remarked that budgetary expenditure for the President of the +Republic's Office was increased by 34.5 percent, adding that also +unsustainable was the
ZAGREB, Nov 26 (Hina) - Croatian Lower House committees on
Wednesday gave the green light to the 1999 draft state budget, with
numerous remarks, mainly referring to higher earmarking for
certain beneficiaries and categories.
The committees proposed higher earmarking for mass grave site
marking, health, social welfare, employment, and certain
infrastructure objects, among else.
During discussion, the parties voiced a series of remarks on the
draft budget, assessing it was pre-election oriented and aimed at
buying social peace.
The 1999 draft budget exceeded the gross national product way too
much, said Ante Tukic of the Liberal Party (LS) parliamentary
bench. He pointed the draft was evidently pre-electoral.
The LS remarked that budgetary expenditure for the President of the
Republic's Office was increased by 34.5 percent, adding that also
unsustainable was the excessive state expenditure envisaged by the
draft.
Radimir Cacic of the Croatian People's Party/Istrian Democratic
Forum bench called the draft budget deceptive and computed it was 30
percent higher than the former one.
The draft budget completely neglected education, science, and
culture, as it envisaged only an apparent increase of earmarking
for these fields, said Hrvoje Kraljevic of the Croatian Social
Liberal Party bench.
The bench of independent representatives of national minorities
was dissatisfied with budgetary transfers envisaged for national
minority associations which, according to Njegovan Stanic, were
far below the actual needs.
He warned the draft budget showed the government's criteria
favoured Serb national minority associations, thus damaging or
neglecting others.
Pointing out the 1999 draft budget was not pro-development
oriented, Josko Kovac of the Croatian Peasants Party bench was
extremely dissatisfied and concerned with the state of
manufacturing.
Djuro Njavro, of the governing Croatian Democratic Union bench,
said the draft budget was good, as it ensured social and state
stability, which was a condition for the economic and all-round
development of Croatian society.
The draft budget promised tax relief in economy and among citizens,
as it did not envisage the growth of any tax rate, while decreasing
some, Njavro said.
Assessments that the 1999 draft budget was socially and pro-
development oriented were mere monikers, said Zeljka Antunovic of
the Social Democratic Party. Macroeconomic indicators showed that
previous budgets were neither socially nor pro-development
oriented, she added.
The Croatian Party of Rights' Ante Djapic was dissatisfied with the
fact that the draft budget envisaged minimum earmarking for
bringing armament up to date.
Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Assembly pointed out that
90,000 army and police employees received salaries from the state
budget, while the state's internal and external debts accounted for
82 percent of the gross national product.
(hina) ha mm