CROATIA'S IMPORT ALMOST TWICE HIGHER THAN EXPORT

( Editorial: --> 5274 ) ZAGREB, Dec 2 (Hina) - Croatia imported goods worth US$ 7.17 billion in the first ten months of 1997, or 16.3 per cent more than in the same period of 1996. From January to the end of October this year, the country exported goods worth US$ 3.62 billion, and recorded a 1.9 percent increase in the export in comparison to the first ten months of 1996, the Croatian Statistics Bureau said on Tuesday. The import of raw materials and semi-manufectures was worth US$ 3.56 billion. The US$ 2.11 billion import of consumer goods rose by 23.6 percent. The export of consumer goods increased by 6.8 percent to US$ 1.35 billion, while the export of raw materials and semi-manufactures, rising by 3.3 percent, was worth 1.89 billion dollars in that period. Croatia imported US$ 4.24 billion goods from the European Union member-countries, and the import increased by 16.5 percent, whereas Croatia's US$ 1.87 billion export to those countries remained at the same level as in the first ten months of 1996. Italy exported US$ 1.38 billion goods to Croatia in the first ten months of 1997, which represents a 25 percent increase. Croatia's US$ 7.57 billion export to Italy fell by 2.1 per cent. Germany's export to Croatia rose by 10.3 per cent to US$ 1.38 billion, while Croatia's export to Germany decreased by 3.7 per cent to US$ 656.8 million. Croatia imported US$ 110.45 million goods from Bosnia-Herzegovina by the end of October, or 35.5 more than in the same period last year, and it exported to this neighbouring country US$ 539.99 million goods, or 26 percent more than in the first ten months of 1996. Croatia's import from Slovenia fell by 3.8 per cent to US$ 617.73 million, while Croatia's export to this country fell by 5 percent to US$ 458.77 million. Macedonia's export to Croatia increased by 14,4 per cent and was worth US$ 30.71 million, while Croatia's export to Macedonia rose by 18.8 per cent to US$ 59.28 million. Croatia imported US$ 2.61 million goods from Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro) and exported US$ 15.8 million there in the first ten months of 1997. (hina) mš 021254 MET dec 97