OVER 230,000 PEOPLE TO TAKE PART IN VOUCHER PRIVATISATION

( Vidi vijest: 5883 ) ZAGREB, Oct 26 (Hina) - According to figures by the Croatian privatisation ministry, released on Sunday, 6,091 people submitted applications during the last week of registration for voucher privatisation. Thus, the number of people registered to take part in the voucher privatisation rose to 224,667, with 1.7 billion investment points. In the first stage of the voucher privatisation campaign 232,816 decisions were made on the right to vouchers, on which the final number of relevant investment points will be recorded. Such vouchers can be exchanged for shares of one of about 600 companies, or for shares of privatisation voucher investment funds (up to eight of which are likely to be established). According the privatisation law, those entitled to have shares, free of charge, are disabled Homeland War veterans, families of the dead, detained or missing Croatian soldiers, former POWs, families of the dead, detained or missing civilians, civilians detained (by the Yugoslav aggressors and Serb rebels) since 17 August 1990, disabled civilians who suffered serious injuries in the Homeland War, the unemployed who used to work in the formerly occupied areas and have not enjoyed the status of a refugee or a displaced people, the displaced and refugees, returnees and former political prisoners. Out of 232,816 afore-mentioned decisions, 202,414 referred to the displaced, refugees, and returnees to their places of residence. Data about the voucher privatisation are still incomplete, as almost 4,000 people, whose documents have been received by the ministry, should be recorded in coming days. More than 230,000 people are expected to take part in the voucher privatisation, and after taking vouchers with investment points, they will be able to decide whether to exchange them for shares of the companies or for shares of privatisation voucher investment funds. (hina) mš 261514 MET oct 97