CROATIAN PARLIAMENT DISCUSSES DRAFT 1997 BUDGET

ZAGREB, Nov 28 (Hina) - Committees of the Croatian Parliament's House of Representatives on Thursday supported a draft 1997 budget but raised a number of objections to its items. After the committees, the draft budget was discussed by the clubs of deputies. The Club of Deputies of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party described the budget as "development-oriented" and "radically new" in comparison to the 1996 budget. The budget reflected government efforts to reduce a share of public spending in the gross domestic product, they said. Opposition deputies were critical of the draft budget. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) Club said that the budget showed that the government did not have an economic strategy. The Club of Croatian Peasant Party (HSS) deputies said that the budget satisfied the enormous needs of the bureaucracy. The Istrian Democratic Alliance (IDS) said that the government was centralizing all relevant revenues. This party warned that the budget increased from 22 billion kuna in 1994 to 39.5 billion in 1997. The Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS) drew attention to excessive public spending and its increase in 1997, and production lag. The club of independent minority deputies supported a proposal by the Human and Minority Rights Committee that funds should be ensured for schools and cultural institutions of national minorities. In the continuation of the session, deputies discussed the draft budget individually. Many of them criticized the reduction of funds for reconstruction and drew attention to insufficient funds for science, education and infrastructure. Because of a large number of deputies who requested the floor, the discussion did not finish on Thursday and would continue on Friday morning. (hina) vm jn 282252 MET nov 96