THERE WILL BE NO INCREASE IN PRICES OF INA OIL PRODUCTS - GOVT

ZAGREB, Sept 13 (Hina) - Croatian government officials said on Friday that there would be no increase in the prices of products of the INA oil company and gas. Government decisions on the obligation of state-owned legal entities to report their tariffs and on the reduction of the recently increased prices of INA products to their previous levels would take effect on Saturday, Economy Ministry officials told a news conference. INA, Croatian Electricity Board (HEP), Croatian Radio and Television (HRT), Croatian Railways (HZ), Croatian Post and Telecommunications (HPT), Croatian Roads, Croatian Forests, the Jadrolinija shipping company and the Narodne Novine official gazette are required to send their price lists to the Economy Ministry 15 days before they change the prices of their products and services. Deputy Economy Minister Jasna Babic said that the government had promptly responded to the announced price increases of 3.8 to 25.2 percent. She added that the price increases would have affected not only the overall economic trends but also the cost of living. Economy Minister Davor Stern said that the decisions were part of government efforts to tighten control on the operation of public companies abusing their monopoly. (hina) vm 131724 MET sep 96