CROATIAN PARLIAMENT BEGINS THREE-DAY SESSION

( Editorial: --> 7287 ) ZAGREB, Dec 10 (Hina) - The Croatian Parliament's House of Representatives began a three-day session on Wednesday with question time. Asked by Damir Kajin of the Istrian Democratic Party (IDS) about the further process of privatisation of banks and hotels in the light of Monday's decision by the Council for Strategic Decisions, Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa said that the council had not passed a decision on privatising enterprises but had adopted a strategy. "The strategy includes the balance of national interests and a need for all banks currently owned by the state to be partly privatised," Matesa said, adding that not more than 30 per cent of banks' capital would be in private hands by the end of the century. Responding to a question by Boris Kandare of the Party of Rights (HSP), whether the trial of the so-called Vitez Group - who voluntarily surrendered to the Hague tribunal in early October - would begin within three months as it had been guaranteed to Croatia, Justice Minister Miroslav Separovic said that those guarantees had been given by the US ambassador and expressed confidence that they would be fulfilled. (hina) vm mm 101405 MET dec 97