A BRIEF LOOK AT CROATIAN PRESS ON FRIDAY

ZAGREB, April 5 (Hina) - Today's VJESNIK carries a comment piece by Mladen Jambrovic which analyses the crash of the US government plane in the Dubrovnik area. The article quotes the superintendent of the Civilian Aviation Inspection, Miljenko Radic, who dismissed speculations about the poor safety of the Dubrovnik airport, since the equipment and the landing procedures were adequate to ensure the normal landing of this type of aircraft. The paper also carries a biography of the late US Trade Minister, headlined "Strategist of the US Economic Influence." The article emphasizes Minister Brown's reputation as a competent businessman and political strategist. Zeljko Buksa discusses the Croatian-American trade cooperation which he predicts will not be damaged by the tragic plane crash in Dubrovnik. The article is headlined "Economic Cooperation Protects Peace." VJESNIK's business section runs an article headlined "How to Increase the Turnover of Croatia's Biggest Port." The article analyses the current performance of the Rijeka port and suggests several ways (free zones, closer cooperation with Croatian Railways) to increase the turnover and attract foreign shipping companies. VECERNJI LIST covers the US plane crash under the headline "No Survivors - All Bodies Found". A comment piece by Deana Knezevic, headlined "Costly Compromises", discusses a recent announcement by Governor Marko Skreb that the central bank would not buy out the foreign exchange surplus generated by the 1996 tourist season. The article deals with the possible impact on the export-oriented branches such as tourism, shipbuilding and the timber industry. Emphasising the ultimate self-destructiveness of inordinate government spending, Knezevic urges the powers that be to decrease the tax incidence on the gross price of labour and to curb "financial indiscipline, contraband lobbies and privatization fraud". The paper carries an interview with Miroslav Kis, chairman of the parliamentary human and minority rights committee. (hina) mm as 051145 MET apr 96