ZAGREB, Sept 27 (Hina) - Croatia's foreign debt has exceeded US$13 billion, having totalled 13.283 billion at the end of July, the Croatian National Bank (HNB) said on Friday.
ZAGREB, Sept 27 (Hina) - Croatia's foreign debt has exceeded US$13
billion, having totalled 13.283 billion at the end of July, the
Croatian National Bank (HNB) said on Friday. #L#
Indebtedness grew considerably in June, from US$12.3 billion at the
end of May to 13.19 billion at the end of June.
Compared to July 2001, Croatia's foreign debt at the end of July
this year was US$1.85 billion higher, or almost 2.3 billion higher
than at the end of 2000.
In other words, the last data from the central bank indicate that
each Croatian citizen "owes" foreigners 2,993 US dollars.
The government accounts for 43.1 percent of Croatia's entire
foreign debt, its share at the end of July having been US$5.723
billion. Compared to May, the government's debt grew by US$391
million and mostly refers to government bonds. Seventy-two percent
(US$4.124 billion) of the entire foreign debt refers to bonds,
while 28 percent (US$1.597 billion) refers to long-term loans.
The indebtedness of other sectors, such as non-financial companies
and other financial institutions, grew in recent months as well, by
some US$260 million between May and July. These sectors' share in
Croatia's entire foreign debt is 27 percent (US$3.58 billion).
Eighty-seven percent of said figure refers to loans (US$3.111
billion), of which 96 percent are long-term ones, while trade
credits account for 306 million.
The banks' share in the entire foreign debt exceeds 19 percent,
having totalled US$2.537 billion at the end of July, which was 213
million more than in May. Of said figure, 1.268 billion refers to
foreign currencies and deposits, and as much to loans, mostly long-
term ones.
Direct investments account for ten percent (US$1.331 billion) of
the entire foreign debt.
HNB's foreign debt (US$111 million from an International Monetary
Fund loan) accounts for 0.8 percent of Croatia's entire foreign
debt.
The movement of the debt is somewhat influenced by US dollar-euro
exchange rate changes given the fact that some 66 percent of
Croatia's entire foreign debt is in euros while the debt is stated
in US dollars.
(hina) ha sb