WHAT IS OWED TO CROATIA'S HEALTH INSURANCE OFFICE

ZAGREB, Feb 24 (Hina) - According to the latest information from the Croatian Health Insurance Office (CHIO), 49 of all the 64 Croatian firms which had failed to make obligatory payments to cover their workers' health insurance, have now paid their debts or have made arrangements to do so, CHIO director Stjepan Turek, told Hina today. The Health Ministry announced the names on February 8 of firms which owed money to CHIO and informed them that they were stripping their workers of health protection. After that, the Government organised a deadline for debts to be paid by February 28. Turek said that CHIO was still conducting negotiations with some firms, including five of the biggest debtors - four shipping companies and the Rijeka Port. If we don't reach an agreement with these firms before Monday, their workers would be denied primary health care. The remaining ten defaulters were undergoing bancruptcy proceedings, so CHIO would be able to get back its money after the proceedings ended, Turek said. Retirees who had spent their working lives in Slovenian firms would also be stripped of primary health care until the two governments reached an agreement on the reimbursement of 95 million kunas Slovenia owed to CHIO, he said. (hina) jn sd as 241926 MET feb 95