ZAGREB, Nov 7 (Hina) - Croatia's credit rating for November remains unchanged at DB4d, which places it among countries with moderate investment risk, according to a report by the Dun & Bradstreet credit rating agency. The report,
carried by the Zagreb-based business information provider BonLine on Friday, says that Croatia's risk outlook is dominated by the upcoming elections, scheduled for November 23. "The outcome of the poll is somewhat difficult to predict owing to the fact that recent surveys show public opinion to be almost evenly split between the ruling coalition, led by Prime Minister Ivica Racan's Social Democratic Party (SDP), and the largest opposition party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)," the report says. "However, it is clear that neither party will muster sufficient support to form the next government on its own," it adds. The report goes on to say that th
ZAGREB, Nov 7 (Hina) - Croatia's credit rating for November remains
unchanged at DB4d, which places it among countries with moderate
investment risk, according to a report by the Dun & Bradstreet
credit rating agency.
The report, carried by the Zagreb-based business information
provider BonLine on Friday, says that Croatia's risk outlook is
dominated by the upcoming elections, scheduled for November 23.
"The outcome of the poll is somewhat difficult to predict owing to
the fact that recent surveys show public opinion to be almost evenly
split between the ruling coalition, led by Prime Minister Ivica
Racan's Social Democratic Party (SDP), and the largest opposition
party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)," the report says.
"However, it is clear that neither party will muster sufficient
support to form the next government on its own," it adds.
The report goes on to say that the country's risk outlook was
undermined by an unfavourable presentation to the EU Council of
Ministers by the chief prosecutor of the Hague war crimes tribunal,
Carla Del Ponte, who said that the Croatian authorities had failed
to convince her they were attempting to bring indicted general Ante
Gotovina to justice.
The Croatian authorities have strenuously denied this charge,
refuting Del Ponte's claims, but D&B analysts believe that Del
Ponte's report will delay Croatia's admission to the European
Union.
On the list of 25 transition countries, Croatia has been in tenth
place for months. The list is topped by Slovenia and Hungary, which
have both been rated with the best index of DB2c as countries with
the least investment risk.
The bottom of the scale has been occupied for months by Albania,
Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Serbia and Montenegro,
Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, which have all been given
the lowest DB6d rating.
(hina) vm