PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES SUPPORT BILLS ON PRIVATISATION OF INA, HEP

ZAGREB, Feb 27 (Hina) - Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic said at Wednesday's session of the parliamentary Committee on Economy the reason the Croatian oil industry INA and the Power Industry HEP were being privatised was not "patching up" holes in the budget but making the companies competitive and more efficient. After a debate, the Committee supported government bills on the privatisation of the two companies. The privatisation of INA and HEP has been part of the government's strategy from the beginning and a commitment taken over within the arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), because successful and sustainable development is based on the privatisation of companies and economy, Fizulic said. Committee member Zlatko Matesa of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) said his party was not against the privatisation of INA and HEP, but that it was not clear from the bills what would be privatised, when and where, as well as that representatives of INA and HEP workers' unions had similar doubts. The two bills were supported by the Committee on War Veterans, which expressed satisfaction with the fact that seven percent of the portfolio of the two biggest state companies would be given to the veterans. (hina) sb rml