CROATIAN PARLIAMENT LOWER HOUSE CLOSES DISCUSSION ON PENSIONS

ZAGREB, Feb 6 (Hina) - The Croatian Parliament's House of Representatives on Thursday closed a discussion on a bill on the adjustment of pensions and the management of pension and disability insurance funds. Opposition deputies made a number of remarks about the bill but supported its passage arguing that even a slight increase in pensions would mean a lot for pensioners living at subsistence level. Peasant Party (HSS) deputies said that the bill failed to address the "real problems", giving the pensioners "crumbs off the table." Social Democratic Party (SDP) representatives described the bill as "unfair", stressing that it "legalizes the unlawful acts by the government." Social Liberals (HSLS) said that adjusting pensions to the growth of living costs instead of wages would "leave the pensioners without any hope" because it would "cement their low standard of living." Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) deputies said that bill "is nothing but a pre-election hoax" because monthly pension increases would eventually be "insignificantly low." Several opposition representatives raised the issue of pension fund management, accusing the government of supporting the big business at the expense of the poor. Deputies of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) dismissed the accusations, stressing that the bill would improve the position of nearly a fifth of the population. "The proposed bill will improve the status of pensioners to the greatest extent possible, and a reform of the pension system should start as soon as possible," National Pension and Disability Insurance Fund director Damir Zoric said, stressing that the reform required a national consensus. (hina) vm jn 062054 MET feb 97