CROATIA'S LOWER HOUSE CLOSES DISCUSSION ON SOCIAL WELFARE BILL

ZAGREB, Dec 13 (Hina) - The Croatian Parliament's House of Representatives supported a social welfare bill on Friday. The bill provided for aid to meet the basic needs of all people living at subsistence level, Labour and Welfare Minister Joso Skara said. It binds municipalities and cities to earmark at least five percent of their revenues for social welfare purposes. Its novelty is that it allows private initiatives in the social welfare sector. The bill was backed by representatives of all parliamentary parties. A Peasant Party deputy said that the government should take a new course in the employment policy next year because otherwise both those who provide and those who receive social welfare would be discontent. He stressed that the number of social welfare users was growing. Deputies were also expected to discuss a social welfare programme for 1997-1999, but after a brief discussion the matter was postponed until an emergency session scheduled to take place next week. Some deputies drew attention to the programme being connected with the budget, so that it was agreed that the issue should be discussed before a debate on the 1997 budget. (hina) vm mm 131310 MET dec 96